


A Brief History Of Time Compression

by Ronin



Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2018-12-11 10:39:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 31,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11712693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ronin/pseuds/Ronin
Summary: Entry intended for The Successor Challenge, 2017. Sadly, withdrawn due to inability to finish within allotted time....Sorry. :(Events from Ellone Loire's POV that eventually lead up to Time Compression.





	1. Part I: Catalyst

 

 

 

 

 

Men were shouting. Running feet made Ellone duck down behind a loveseat in the sitting room to get out of sight.

"Ellone! Ellone honey?" Mama's voice, breathless and hushed. Scared.

 Cautiously, she peeked out from behind the loveseat.

 Her mother laid her finger against her lips and whispered, "Go find your extra-special hiding place honey."

 The shouting grew louder. Then there were loud pops like firecrackers, and someone screamed. Ellone jumped in reaction and began to get scared.

 Her mother looked back over her shoulder, and whispered urgently, "Now! Go now baby! Don't come out until it's quiet!"

 Ellone nodded, eyes wide, and scampered to the back door.

 Her mother's voice behind her, hissed, _"don't let anyone see you!"_

 Ellone looked back and nodded, then slowly opened the door and poked her head out, looking right and left. Finding it clear, she slipped through and closed it behind her and stood still for a moment, trying to find a way to her hiding place where no one would see.

 People were shouting and screaming louder now, and there were more firecracker pops. Suddenly, she heard banging coming from the front of the house. Her heart jumped and she gasped. It was too late! She had to hide _now_!

  _BAD people! Bad people are coming!_ she thought in a panic. 

 She ran as fast as she could along a well-worn pathway, through a riotous growth of white lilies and pink asters. The plants were fortunately thick enough and tall enough to conceal the terrified two-year-old who ran heedlessly along the path to the back door of the neighboring pub.

 She stopped, panting, and reached up to open the door. It was unlocked. Nobody locked their doors in Winhill.

 Moving as quietly as she could, she eased the door open and slipped through, then shut it behind her. Tiptoeing silently, she made her way to the cellar door at the back of the stairs. It was dark there and kind of scary, but Raine kept big barrels of beer, and racks of what she'd told Ellone was wine, whatever that was, down there. It was a great place to hide. Raine had searched for her for hours before finally giving up and calling out to Ellone that she'd won the game of hide and seek they'd been playing. They'd had peanut butter sandwiches after.

 There was a light switch just inside the door, but Ellone knew if she turned it on they'd know someone had come down there. So, swallowing back her fear of the thick, dusty darkness, she held tightly to the grab rail and felt her way downward.

 Once there, she walked slowly, hands outstretched, until she found one of the big barrels. Feeling her way along it, she found the hiding spot she'd used before. Hunkering down next to it, she hugged herself and tried not to cry, tried hard not to think about spiders or crickets or other bugs that might be down there with her. Mama had told her to hide and not come out until it was quiet. Ellone didn't know what that meant, but the fear in her mother's eyes made her scared as well. What were the bad people doing? Why were they screaming and banging on doors and making firecracker pops? Why didn't Mama and Daddy hide with her?

Eventually, Ellone's thudding heart calmed, her breathing steadied, and with a suddenness typical to young children, abruptly fell asleep.

 

* * *

 

 She woke some time later, stiff and very hungry. She had no idea how long she'd been down there, but it was very quiet. Maybe it was safe to go home now. Ellone hoped so.

 She was tiptoeing her way to the back door when she heard a muffled sound coming from inside the pub. It was dark and quiet there, when it would ordinarily be bright and cheery with people talking, laughing and eating the yummy food that Raine cooked.

 Curious, Ellone peeked in and saw that it was empty, save for Raine herself, who sat alone at a table with her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook and Ellone could hear muffled sobs. Raine was crying.

 "Raine?" Ellone asked, wondering why she was so sad.

 Raine's head jerked up with a gasp and she turned toward Ellone, eyes wide. Leaping up from the table she rushed over to her and dropped to her knees in front of the little girl, grabbing her up and holding her tight against her chest, sobbing incoherently.

 "Elle! Oh, thank Hyne you're safe! Oh, baby..." the rest of whatever she said degenerated into fragmented whispers that made no sense to the little girl.

 "Why are yoo crying Raine? Did the Bad People scare yoo too?" Ellone finally asked when Raine's hysterics had calmed down.

 Wiping the tears from her face, Raine sniffled a bit and finally said, "Yes, sweetheart, the Bad People scared me too."

 Looking toward the back door, Ellone asked her, "Are they gone now? Mama said for me to hide until it was quiet."

 Raine got a queer look on her face just then at the mention of Ellone's mother, and her breath hitched, but she managed, "Yes sweetie, the Bad People are gone now."

 "Good, 'cause I wanna go home an' eat dinner. Can yoo walk me back so the monsters don't get me? It looks kinda dark out."

 Raine closed her eyes for a moment, looking, if possible, even sadder than before. It both confused and frightened Ellone.

 Finally, Raine took a deep breath and said in a trembling voice, "Why don't you stay here with me sweetie, okay?" She sniffled a bit and wiped away a stray tear.

 "But, mama said..."

 "Your mommy asked me to take care of you honey." Raine said. She wiped away another tear.

 "Okay." Ellone said. Mama and Daddy must have wanted some "alone time", as they called it. They did that sometimes, and Raine was fun to spend time with.

 Suddenly, Ellone's tummy growled audibly. It had been a long time since lunch.

 "Can we have peanut butter sandwiches?" Ellone asked.

 Swallowing, Raine nodded and rose to her feet, holding her hand down to Ellone.

 "Sure," she answered. "Come on up."

* * *

 Several days later, Ellone was sitting in the Town Square with Raine, dressed in her prettiest dress. Raine too, was dressed up pretty, her hair pulled back and dark glasses on to hide the streaks that her tears left in her mascara. The whole town was there, and the mayor stood at a podium in front of the Town Hall speaking. Ranked behind him were several caskets, each liberally bedecked with flowers.

 Mama and Daddy were in two of them. Raine had brought her up to them, to say good bye. At first, Ellone didn't understand what was happening, thinking that maybe Mama and Daddy were sleeping. But they looked strange, like sculptures made of wax, and when she touched them, they were cold.

 Slowly, she began to understand, but still, she asked Raine when they sat down, "What's wrong with them? They look like they're sleeping but they feel...weird."

 "They're dead, honey. The Bad People killed them." Raine said softly. She didn't believe in sugar-coating things, but the stark truth, even delivered in a compassionate voice, still sounded harsh.

 "Will they wake up?" Ellone asked, still not quite understanding.

 "No baby. They won't. They're sleeping forever now." Raine told her in a choked voice. "We're here to say good-bye to them."

 Ellone was quiet for a long moment. It all felt so unreal, like a bad dream. But mama and daddy were sleeping in the caskets and would never wake up. She'd never see them again. Suddenly, she missed them both horribly, and she finally, after days of confused incomprehension, understood exactly what had happened.

 The mayor droned on about the people who'd lost their lives in the raid, saying things that she didn't understand just then but would later on, about a war between Galbadia and Esthar and how a Sorceress was involved.

 Wrapping her arms around Raine's arm, Ellone hugged it to her and buried her face against it. Then she started to cry. Raine shifted and pulled her onto her lap, hugging her tightly. It went on for several minutes; Raine simply held her and let her cry.

 After awhile, Ellone calmed down and simply rested against Raine's chest, still sitting on her lap. Raine held her loosely, but Ellone still felt secure in her arms.

 "Am I going to live with you now?" Ellone asked her.

 "Yes. I promised your mama I would take care of you for her." Raine answered.

 Someone was singing, a sweet song full of sadness and loss. Raine sighed, and Ellone remained on her lap, snuggled close. It made the yawning loss of her parents easier to bear, wrapped up in Raine's arms like she was.

 At length, the service was ended, and Raine stood and turned to leave, then froze, along with the rest of the town, at the sight that greeted them just outside the town square.

 An entire squad of soldiers, all wearing Galbadian blue, stood at full attention. They were in battle dress, not formal dress, and murmurs spread among the townsfolk at this. Obviously, these men had come upon the funeral by happenstance.

 One of the soldiers, a young man with long, black hair, said something softly to his comrades, then he strode forward, approaching the Mayor. The murmurs grew louder, and Ellone began to sense an undercurrent of hostility directed toward him and the other soldiers.

 Raine, with Ellone still in  her arms, watched as the soldier spoke with the Mayor, who nodded and returned to the podium.

 "Sergeant Loire would like to extend his heartfelt condolences and offer his and his men's assistance in bearing the caskets. On the town of Winhill's behalf, I have accepted his kind gesture."  Turning back to the soldier, he then engaged him in protracted conversation, with the young man nodding attentively at various intervals. Satisfied that all pertinent information had been delivered, the Mayor nodded at the soldier, who nodded back. Then he returned to his men.

 More quiet conversation took place, then he stood at attention and barked some commands. The men immediately fell into formation at attention. Then at another barked command, they marched solemnly to where the caskets rested. There was a shuffle as the men joined the bearers that were already there, and when things were properly sorted out, the young sergeant barked another command, and they all began a slow, solemn procession to the nearby cemetery.

 Raine didn't want to follow them, but Ellone still had her bouquet of white lilies that she was to place atop her mother's casket. So she fell in with the rest of the mourners and followed the bearers as they proceeded to the cemetery.

 The general feeling amongst the townsfolk was mixed. Some saw the soldiers' actions as simply a kind gesture and took it as it was meant. Others were upset that they were there at all, feeling it a case of too little, too late. Had they been there when Esthar had attacked the town, perhaps those lives that had been lost would have been spared. Perhaps those girls that had been stolen would still be with their families. But, the army's commanders had thought Winhill of little strategic consequence, that the possibility of attack of so small a town was too low to spare the personnel, and so had not stationed any soldiers there.

 So, no. At the moment, the G-army was not very popular with a majority of Winhill's residents.

 Upon reaching the cemetery, Raine walked up with Ellone still in her arms. The toddler was starting to get tired; a protracted event such as this would be trying for a child that young even if the occasion was a happy one.

 So Raine assisted Ellone in dividing her little bouquet between her mother's and her father's caskets. While doing so, she became aware of someone watching her.

 Glancing around, she me the gaze of the young Galbadian Sergeant. He blushed slightly at having been caught staring, and gave her a sad little smile. She twitched her lips in an attempt to return the favor, but couldn't quite pull it off. 

 He took a step in her direction, obviously intending to approach and speak with her, but one of his comrades came up to him just then, grabbing his shoulder and leaning close to say something in a low voice. The soldier frowned and nodded, and the other man walked away.

 The sergeant then drew himself up to attention, saluted gravely, eyes still locked with hers, then turned and marched away. The other soldiers formed up behind him, and he led them out of Winhill.

  
 

* * *

 Time went on, and Ellone eventually grew used to her new normal. She still missed Mama and Daddy, but since the day they died (Raine was careful to explain, truthfully, what had happened to them), she had lived with Raine. She'd never gone back to the house where she'd once lived. Raine had gone over alone and brought back some of Ellone's things, whatever hadn't been destroyed in the attack.

 The strange dreams that Ellone would have from time to time grew more frequent, and intense. She used to tell Mama about them, but her toddler brain couldn't make any real sense of it, and her mother simply chalked it up to "little Ellie being very imaginative".

 But while she slept, her mind wandered where it would, sending her consciousness into strange places. Her power touched people's dreams, and sometimes she was drawn in by them and would experience what they did. For the most part, unless the "dreams" were strange or traumatic, Ellone promptly forgot them upon waking. Sometimes, however she woke screaming from them.

 Raine just thought it was nightmares, and Ellone couldn't find a way to tell her otherwise, as she didn't know any different herself.

 But one dream kept coming back. Not nightly, but on the odd occasion that Ellone's mind wandered too far afield, _she_ would seize upon it, and pull her in...

  _Hello, little one. Come to share my dreams again?_

  _Your dreams are scary. I like the ones with puppies and kitties in them._

  _Then perhaps you should move on to kinder shores._

  _I_ _don't know how._

  _Who are you?_

  _I_ _'m...not s'posed to talk to strangers._

  _You aren't talking. And I'm not a stranger. We've met in this place before._

  _You never talked before._

  _Neither did you. I suspect you were unable to as yet. You've grown stronger. How about I tell you my name first? Would that be okay? Then I wouldn't be a stranger anymore._

 ... _Okay._

  _My name is....Adielle._

  _I'm Ellone._

  _Where do you live Ellone?_

_I live in Winhill._

  _Indeed? I live...a long way from there._

  _How long?_

  _A very long journey across the sea._

  _Is it pretty there?_

  _Yes. Would you like to see it?_

  _Sure._

 The formless dark of Ellone's 'dream' shifted, and suddenly she was gazing out in wonder at a glittering city, that shone with all the hues of a desert sunset.

  _It is lovely, is it not?_

  _It IS!_

 Suddenly the 'dream' began to waver and fade, and Ellone gradually became aware of someone shaking her and calling her name.

  _I have to go..._

_We will speak again, Ellone..._

  They did speak again. It wasn't every night that they did, because Ellone had no idea how they met in the first place. So their meetings were random, and  more often than not, brief. She had no control as yet over the pathways her mind took, no idea that she even _had_ such a talent.

But Adielle apparently found something special in her, and told her so more than once. In fact, Adielle was fascinated by her, and sought to learn more and more about her in those brief, dreamtime meetings.

 _How old are you, Ellone?_ Adielle asked her on one of those occasions.

 _I'm three._ She answered. She felt Adielle's surprise at this, then got an odd feeling of avid hunger from her. That confused Ellone for a moment.

 _Three? Really? You're so smart, I'd thought you older._   Adielle said.

 _Raine says that too. She's even started teaching me how to read. I tried to write like she does but its all scribbly and it makes her mad when I don't keep it on the paper._ Ellone replied.

Adielle fell silent for a moment, and then said, _You will get better. All you have to do is practice._

 _That's what Raine says._ Ellone said.

 _Is Raine  your mother?_ Adielle asked.

_No. She...she takes care of me. She promised my mommy she would after the Bad People killed her and my daddy._

_Bad People?_

_Raine said it was a raid. They came here to steal little girls. I don't know why, and nobody tells me. Maybe because they were bad?_   Ellone answered.

 She didn't understand fully why all the little girls in town had been stolen. Some people, forgetting she was nearby, had said it was a war and the Bad People were from Esthar. It made more sense than them being stolen simply for being bad. Especially because her friend Seria had been stolen too, and she was never bad. Ellone had gotten into more trouble than she had.

But Ellone had hidden from the Bad People so well that they hadn't found her. She wished she had been able to hide Seria too.

 _Maybe they were needed elsewhere._ Adielle said.

_Do you know if they'll come back? Their mommies and daddies miss them. I do too. They were my friends._

_I cannot say._ Adielle finally said.

All too soon, the "dream" began to fade. It was time for Ellone to get up for the day.

 _We will speak more, child._ Adielle whispered. _There is much for you to learn..._

Ellone had just turned four when the war between Esthar and Galbadia intensified, and Esthar appeared to be winning. Incursions to the Galbadian mainland became more frequent, as did clashes between the two armies. Ellone did not pay too much attention to the politics of the adults around her; the only time it mattered was when Raine kept her indoors or shuttered the pub and hid with her in the wine cellar. She didn't make any distinction bewteen Galbadian or Estharian soldiers; to her, they were equally dangerous to a young woman alone with a little girl.

Ellone still met at random with Adielle in her dreams, and they talked about a great many things. Adielle in particular was interested in Ellone: what she liked, where she lived, who her parents were, things of that nature. Adielle in return showed Ellone more images of where she lived. However, she never told Ellone the name of the land she lived in. But it was strange, and beautiful, and when Adielle showed Ellone the place she lived in, Ellone was speechless with awe. It was a _palace_.

 _Are you a Princess?_ Ellone asked.

 _No_. Adielle answered proudly. _I am a QUEEN_.

* * *

 It was a fine spring day, and the fighting had moved far enough away that Raine felt it safe to walk to the beach with Ellone. It was a long walk but they were both feeling fresh and fine, and Raine had packed a lunch for them to eat while they enjoyed the sunshine and the cool sea breeze.

Their destination was a little known, private cove sheltered by rocky cliffs and accessible by a narrow, steep set of stairs carved into the rock. Private enough, and unknown enough, that Raine felt there would be no harm in taking Ellone there.

Ellone, excited by the bracing sea air and the prospect of playing on the seashore, skipped down the narrow steps with the agility of a mountain goat. Raine, by contrast, weighed down by the unwieldy picnic basket, had to take a bit more care and thus was slower.

"Ellone," she called out, as the child raced ahead. "don't wander off too far honey, I don't want you in the water until I can see you!"

"Okay," Ellone said, slowing down slightly.

When she reached the beach though, she was off like a shot again and Raine sighed, and hurried to catch up. Upon reaching the beach herself, Raine looked around for Ellone and saw her making her way toward what looked like a pile of sea-wrack on the beach. As she set down the basket, Raine hoped that it wasn't something horribly dead.

"Raine! Raine, come here, look!" Ellone called, pointing toward the mound of debris, which when Raine gave it a second, harder look, didn't actually look like the pile of seaweed that she thought it was. It was darker, the wrong color... _blue_? And _definitely_ didn't have the shape of anything of _marine_ origin.

Frowning, she hurried over to Ellone to get a closer look at it and to snatch her away if it turned out to be something threatening...or something that a child of four ought not to see. The closer she got, the deeper her concern grew. No, it wasn't marine, it looked more like a bundle of discarded laundry, that had been rolled in the sand after being cast ashore...with their owner still wearing it.

Raine gasped and grabbed for Ellone when she got close enough to see that it was clearly the body of a man.

"Is he dead?" Ellone asked quietly, eyes round. She didn't resist when Raine pulled her close.

"I...I think..." Raine began, to be interrupted by a soft moan from the form at her feet. "I...don't know.' 

"Stay here, baby." Raine said, gently pushing Ellone back and out of the way, then stepping forward to get a closer look at the man to see if he was indeed dead, or dying, and if there was anything to be done to help him.

Kneeling down next to the man, Raine still wasn't entirely certain he was actually alive. He certainly didn't look it, and when Raine reached out and touched his neck, searching for a heartbeat, his skin felt cool and clammy.  But...a flutter beneath her fingertips...so faint..but there... Proved that he wasn't quite dead yet. But he wasn't far from it, either.

Without any further thought, Raine rolled the man onto his side, and hit him sharply between the shoulderblades several times. She was rewarded by a weak, retching cough and a resultant expulsion of water. Encouraged, she did it again, but this time, got no response.

Heart pounding, she rolled him onto his back and discovered that he'd stopped breathing.

"Hyne's blood!" she cursed under her breath as she tilted his head back, pushing lank, sand-encrusted black hair away from his face, and checked for any obstruction. Finding none, she pinched his nostrils closed, sealed her lips over his, and blew.

Once, twice, three times, watching the chest rise with each breath. Checking the spot beneath his jawbone for a heartbeat, her own skipped when all she got was a weak, arrhythmic flutter. Frowning, she started chest compressions as well. Then she alternated. Five compressions, two breaths. Back and forth.

After several minutes of that, she was getting lightheaded and dizzy, and was beginning to worry it was all for nothing.

Pressing her fingers beneath his jaw one more time, she panted, "Come on, dammit, don't you die on me!" This time, the pulse was stronger and more regular.

Bending down, she sealed her lips over his once more and blew again. This time, he spasmed, coughed, and brought up more water. A lot more water. Then his chest rose on an alarming, wheezing gasp, and he opened his eyes.

Raine was transfixed by their dark-lashed, emerald green beauty, and nearly missed his wheezing whisper, "I...don't....plan.....to."  Then those beautiful eyes fluttered shut and he went limp.

Raine gasped and checked him again, breathing a sigh of relief upon confirming that he had merely lapsed into unconsciousness and was otherwise still breathing.

He remained stable but unconscious throughout the complicated and protracted process of getting help from Winhill to bring him up from the beach and install him into her pub. At least until he was well enough to find lodging elsewhere.  In the back her mind was a niggling sense of familiarity, like she'd seen him before but couldn't place him. Perhaps it was his uniform. Hyne knew, Galbadian blue was a frequent sight in recent years.

It was during the process of getting him cleaned up and tending to his wounds that she finally remembered.  It had been two years, _hard_ years, by the look of it; but she'd never forget the beautiful eyes of the young Sergeant who had paid his respects at the funeral for the casualties of Esthar's raid. They were the very same green eyes that had captivated her when he'd opened them on the beach.

That first time, as she tended to his injuries, he was not in a state where he could protest or complain at what she was doing. And they were extensive; broken bones, bullet wounds, burns, a chest full of seawater that he still struggled with and had only partially expelled, which would in fact develop into pneumonia. Several times, he nearly died. But he didn't.

Each time, when things looked the most precarious, and Raine sat at his bedside watching each breath and gritting out, "Don't you dare die on me!" He would always respond with, "I don't plan to."

She had to admire his stubborn grit, as he fought his way back to health. 

* * *

 

 The man from the beach that Raine had saved was still sick. Ellone worried about that, and she could tell that Raine did too. She looked tired and concerned, and spent a lot of time sitting next to his bed, watching him intently. Ellone did too, when Raine let her. She helped Raine too, as much as she could, fetching and carrying small things for her: bandages, salves, cloths. Things that, if dropped, were of little concern.

When they first brought him home, he slept for a long time. Long enough that both she and Raine wondered if he would ever wake up. He did, eventually, but still slept much of the time. He didn't speak much, and when he did it was only in whispers.

So it was over two weeks before they learned the man's name.

"Loire, Laguna. Seargeant. Infantry, Division One, Squad A. Serial number L01032799. Where the hell am I?"

Raine raised her eyebrows and answered, "You're in Winhill, where you've been for almost three weeks, either trying to die or trying to live. Which side of that fence you were on depended on the day. Sometimes, the hour. Fortunately, you seem to be mostly on the trying to live side these days."

"Winhill?" he whispered weakly. "How the hell did I get here?"

"No idea. What's the last thing you remember?" Raine asked him.

"I was....on a scout with my squad.. In Centra." He answered. "Things went bad and.. I went over a cliff, into the sea."

"Hm." Raine said. "Well, Ellone and I found you on the beach southwest of here, half-drowned. You got lucky and must have hit a rip-current that brought you up here."

"Lucky me," he said, giving her a charming, if wan, smile. Ellone couldn't help but smile back, and neither could Raine.

Then her smile turned wry as she replied, "you'll think lucky when I change your bandages. I'll be as gentle as possible, but it won't be pleasant."

"I can handle it," He assured her staunchly.

Raine raised an eyebrow. Past experience told her that his statement was a lie, and he was trying to put on a brave front.. Either for her benefit or for Ellone's. Shrugging, she got to work.

It was _not_ pleasant for him. His injuries were extensive and painful, but because of the extended time he spent in bed, she had to move him around, clean him, clean _around_ him and change his dressings. She had little in the way of pain relief available for him, and sadly, the poor man apparently had a very low pain threshold. 

She was gentle as possible, but couldn't help feeling both exasperated and sympathetic as he cursed, cried, and whined while she tended to him. In all other respects, he seemed a very courageous man, if what he'd told her about his military exploits were to be believed. It made her wonder if he was playing up, at least in part, for Ellone's benefit, because his behavior was more than a little reminiscent of a petulant four-year-old.

If that was the case then he was scoring top marks with Ellone, who held his hand and comforted him throughout the ordeal.

"It'll be okay Mr. Laguna, Raine will make you better. She made me better when I was sick too." Ellone was saying. Laguna gave her a wan smile in response, and sighed in relief as Raine completed the more painful aspects of his care.

One more task remained, and Ellone could not be present during _that_.

"Elle honey, why don't you go play outside for a little bit while I finish up with Sergeant Loire?"

"Okay Raine," Ellone said, then leaned over and gave Laguna a little peck on the cheek before she skipped out. He watched her leave, expression unreadable. Raine's heart did a little flip at the gentleness she saw in his eyes.

"You know what comes next," she said, getting a basin of warm water, soap, sponge and a towel together.

"I can't wait," he said, giving her a rougish grin. "Call me Laguna, by the way."

Raine crossed her arms over her chest and glared down at him, "Need I remind you to behave yourself?"

"No, but you will anyway," he said.

"Just keep your comments, and your hands, to yourself, and I won't be tempted to do you further damage." she said, setting to work in a businesslike manner.

"No problems there, both my arms are still broken, after all." He replied with a shrug and a wince as it apparenlty joggled something that was still injured. Likely his ribs, several of which were at least cracked if not actually broken.

As always, she started at his head and ended at his feet, and if there was anything more awkward than staring into the eyes of an attractive, if still terribly injured, man while giving him a sponge bath, she hadn't yet encountered it. His tendency to crack inappropriate jokes didn't help much with the overall awkwardness of it, but they _did_ help her laugh and focus on  her task.

He was looking better, she thought, as she carefully worked on his torso. The bruising at least had started to fade from purplish black to a sickly green, and he was regaining the weight he'd lost while battling the pneumonia that had nearly killed him.

Further evidence of his recovery came as a surprise to them both as she worked her way downward.

"Hyne!" he exclaimed, cheeks flaming. Swallowing, he looked away, clearly embarrassed.

Raine's cheeks also turned pink, as she struggled to stay matter of fact about it and continued her ablutions. She couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't make things worse, so she remained silent. Laguna however, did the complete opposite.

"I...I promise you I'm not.. I mean, it's not what you..." his voice trailed off and he said lamely, "well, at least we know _that_ still works?"

"And that matters why?" Raine finally said.

"Uh, because...uh... It's better than it... _not_...working."

Raine snorted, "I suppose your girlfriend would appreciate it if nothing else."

"I.. I don't..." he swallowed, suddenly looking lost. And a little sad.

"I see."  Raine said and quickly finished the rest of her task in silence.

She was pulling the sheet back over him when he laid his hand over  hers, stopping her. Looking up, she met his eyes and he gave her a smile of such surpassing sweetness that it went straight to her heart.

"Thank you," he said. "Thank you for my life, Raine."

"You're welcome," she said, then added in mock severity. "Now hurry up and get better so you can get the hell out of here. I want my house back."

He gave her an uncertain grin, "well, I'll do my best."

She didn't want to encourage him, not really. What possible good would it do? He was a soldier who would eventually have to rejoin his unit. He would have to leave. But the hurt in his eyes told her that he'd misunderstood her slightly sarcastic statement. And much as she hated to admit it to herself, she _did_ find him attractive, and he was becoming  more so every day as his health improved.

Giving him a warm smile, she said, "that's all we can hope for, isn't it?"

Suddenly, his eyes warmed, and his fingers caressed hers lightly as he replied, "It's a start."

* * *

 It had been a good day. Uncle Laguna had let her help him on his monster patrol, and she got to see him exterminate three buchubuchus (he called them caterchipillars). It was exciting to watch him fight the monsters, it made her feel safer. If the Bad People came again, Uncle Laguna could fight them too and make them go away.

Adielle kept trying to tell her that the Bad People really weren't all bad, that they just wanted to take her to a magic place, but Ellone didn't want to go. She loved Raine, and Uncle Laguna too, and didn't want to leave them. In fact, she was hoping that Uncle Laguna and Raine would get married so they could be a family.

Raine didn't like it when she went with Uncle Laguna on his patrols, though. She said it was too dangerous, and got angry at him every time she found out that he'd allowed Ellone to tag along. So they tried not to be too obvious about it.

On this particular day, Ellone had gotten some goo on her from one of the monsters that Uncle Laguna had killed. He'd checked her thoroughly and heaved a sigh of relief at discovering that it wasn't poison, and had directed her to clean up before coming upstairs for lunch.

So Ellone washed her hands and face, and changed out of her dirty clothes for good measure, before coming upstairs. As she did, she heard Uncle Laguna and Raine having what sounded like an intense discussion. Knowing her presence would only be a distraction, Ellone tiptoed upstairs and hid behind the couch, intending to wait until they were done.  So she heard everything they said.

"...Appreciate everything you do for us Laguna, really I do but.."

"But, what?"

"Won't you be reuniting with your unit soon? Wasn't that what your friend Kiros was here for?" Raine asked.

"N-no. He was trying to find me, yes... and I do have to officially report my whereabouts but...I'll only be gone long enough to tell them I'm not re-enlisting. Kiros was just here to see if I was going to re-up or not because my tour's up." Laguna answered.

"Wait. So, you're coming back? Why? I mean, I heard you talking to Kiros about going into journalism and.. Winhill doesn't even have a weekly circular."  Raine said, sounding surprised.

Laguna sighed, and asked softly, "do you _really_ not know why I would want to come back here?"

Silence, and then a shaky breath. Finally Raine said, "I know you're really taken with Ellone..."

"And with you."

"Laguna..."

"What are you afraid of, Raine?" he asked her gently.

"How can I answer that question?" Raine said, sounding frustrated. "Do you want a list? I've got one a kilometer long. If you want the short version, the answer is _everything_!"

"I wish I could slay those particular demons, Raine, but that's a fight for you alone. I will tell you this, and you can take it however you want: I'm coming back because I love you..and Ellone. I want to marry you and adopt her. I want us to be a family. If you don't feel that way then tell me to leave now and I'll go and never come back." Laguna said.

His voice sounded strange to Ellone, and she peeked around the corner of the couch to see why.  Uncle Laguna was standing close to Raine, staring down into her face, looking hurt. She was staring back with an odd expression on her face. She appeared both happy and sad at the same time, and when she blinked, a tear rolled down her cheek. Ellone frowned. Why would Raine be sad that Uncle Laguna wanted to marry her?

Silence stretched uncomfortably, but Laguna simply waited, watching her.

"I..Okay, yes, dammit. Yes, I love you too. I didn't want to, because I thought you'd leave and rejoin the army and go off fighting again and maybe get killed.. I didn't _want_ to fall in love with you! I didn't want someone _else_ that I loved to die in this damned war!" Raine brushed the tears away from her face roughly, and continued, "And you...Hyne, Laguna, you're as transparent as glass. It was obvious you were falling for me and Ellone both and I didn't know what to do about that! I didn't want to encourage you but at the same time..."

"You wanted me too."

"Yes." she whispered.

"So, that kiss..."

"Wasn't a mistake."

"Well, _that's_ a relief. I thought you were going to hate me forever for that."

"Laguna, if I'd _really_ not wanted you to kiss me, you'd have been walking around with a black eye."

Laguna smiled down at her and asked, "So, are you going to answer my question before or after I kiss you again?"

"After."

Laguna grinned widely at her response, then his expression became more intent he dipped his head down and kissed her thoroughly.

Leaning his forehead against hers, he whispered, "Well?"

"What was the question again?" Raine asked.

Laguna looked outraged and said flatly, "really?"

"Well, you never _actually_ asked me. You simply told me what you wanted." Raine said.

Laguna blinked at her logic, and said, "you're right. Okay then. Raine, will you marry me? I promise to squeeze the toothpaste from the bottom end, always put the cap on it, refill the ice trays when I empty them, put the seat down, and everything else. Oh, and I'll adopt Ellone too."

Raine suddenly smiled brilliantly amid the tears that started leaking from her eyes, and said, "Yes."

"Yes? YES!" Laguna whooped with joy and swept her up into his arms, kissing her until they were both breathless.

Infected by their excitement, Ellone popped up from behind the couch, crowing, "Yaaay! You're gonna get married!"

They turned as one in surprise, and Ellone cannonballed into them both ...or rather, their legs. Wrapping her arms around them both the best she could, she hugged them in an excess of joy. Then they both knelt down and pulled her into a three-way hug. Ellone had never felt so happy or safe or _loved_...not since her parents died. Oh, Raine loved her, she didn't doubt that, but having Uncle Laguna too was just like having two slices of her favorite cake with a double scoop of the best ice cream from Jilly's Parlor.

"So, when are you gonna get married?" Ellone asked eagerly. "Can I hold the flowers?"

"Of course you can," Raine said. "As for when..." she looked over at Laguna.

"As soon as I get back, sprout." He smiled kindly at her and ruffled her hair. "It might not be fancy though..." he added, looking a little worried.

"I don't care," Raine said, and Ellone nodded in agreement.

"Just make sure there's lots of flowers." she said.

"Done." he said. Then glanced over at Raine and added, " I guess we can talk some more about this after dinner. Speaking of which, do you want me to cook?"

"Absolutely not!" Raine said standing up briskly and heading to the kitchen. "I've seen what you did to the kitchen in your place."

"Hey now, to be fair, it was mostly destroyed when I got there," Laguna protested.

"Well, you certainly haven't improved things." Raine said.

Laguna opened his mouth, closed it, and frowned.

Looking down at Ellone, he said, "You know, I actually _can_ cook, right Ellone?"

Ellone nodded, "You make good sandwiches."

"See?" he held his hand out to Raine. "I make good sandwiches. Who says dinner has to be complicated?"

Raine snorted as she rummaged through the refrigerator for the items she needed for that evening's meal.

"Raine's are better though," Ellone added.

"Ouch. That's harsh, kid." Laguna said, clapping his hand over his heart and groaning.

Ellone laughed and Raine snorted again, then said, "Fine, if you want to help Laguna, peel these potatoes."

"Peel po...really?" Laguna asked, appearing dismayed. "I thought I'd seen my last potato months ago!"

Raine raised both eyebrows and crossed her arms over her chest, "Well, I figure you'll have plenty experience doing _that_ if nothing else."

"Kiros told on me, didn't he?" Laguna asked in exasperation.

Raine laughed at the look he gave her when she handed him a bowl with the potatoes she wanted peeled in it.

"He said you were an expert."

"Not by choice," he grumbled, taking the peeler from her hand with a frown. She simply laughed and continued with her preparations. Muttering under his breath, he set to work.

"Can I help too?" Ellone asked.

"Of course." Raine said, and got a step stool out for Ellone to stand on so she could reach the counter.

That dinner was the first one that they made together as a family. There were others, but not nearly as many as Ellone would have liked. Still, the memories that were created in the brief months that they were all together as a family, were a safe haven for her when things became unbearable.

It was around this time that Adielle became more and more insistent and demanding during Ellone's dreamwalks, as she called them.

_Come to me child. I will show you a place of magic and wonders._

_But I don't want to. I'm happy here. So is Raine and Uncle Laguna. Maybe they'll make me a baby sister or something._

_Why would you want that? A baby would simply take up all their time and attention and they would forget about you. You aren't ACTUALLY their child, after all._

_It doesn't matter. They love me. I KNOW they do!_

_I will find you, child. And you will come to me. We will be one, and with your special talents, there's no telling what we could do!_

_But, I don't want to! Go away!_ Ellone was beginning to get scared. She tried to break off contact, but usually only someone trying to wake her would pull her out of her "dreamwalk". But she fought against the force that held her paralyzed. Fought, and finally managed, with a wrench, to pull herself out of the "dream" with a cry. Shaken, she began to sob.

Uncle Laguna came in a few minutes later and knelt down next to her bed, whispering, "Bad dream?" 

At Ellone's tearful nod, he gathered her into his arms and whispered, "It's okay sweetheart. I'm here..."

_I will find you. I will take you. I WILL have what I want!_

The voice whispered through Ellone's mind, making her shudder and cling more tightly to Laguna.


	2. Part II: Fugitive

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ellone woke with a start and lay gasping quietly. A rustle and a sigh from the bunk next to her made her freeze until her bunkmate quieted and their breaths steadied into deeep sleep again. She lay still and quiet, listening to the rush of water against wood, feeling the gentle rise and fall of the White SeeD ship as it rode the waves, its destination known only to the Captain and Matron.

 It was a dream that had awakened her this time, she knew. The _other_ thing, the strange power that had made Sorceress Adel and  her wizened toady Dr. Odine nearly tear apart Galbadia just to take her, was altogether different. No matter how bad, and vivid, the nightmares she lived through while in the throes of _that_ power, she was unable to escape their grip so easily. Instead, she had to remain a helpless spectator to whatever event she had stumbled onto. Despite Matron's tutelage, Ellone hadn't quite gained control over her "talent".

No, this was simply a nightmare. A tragic memory that she could not, hard as she tried, forget. She knew already it was useless to try, so simply lay quietly and let it come.

She had been gathering wildflowers out in the fields, because Raine liked flowers and so did she. Uncle Laguna gave Raine flowers alot too, which always made her smile and kiss him. Ellone liked to catch them kissing like her parents had done, it made her feel part of a family again.

When she got back home, she gave Raine the flowers and got a hug and kiss from her as a reward. Uncle Laguna was still on his monster patrol; Ellone had wanted to pick flowers so he'd slowed his circuit to give her time to do so, and had sent her back home for lunch when her arms were full, telling her he'd be home a little later when he'd finished.

"What would you like for lunch sweetie?" Raine asked her, pouring a glass of milk, which Ellone took and drank eagerly.

"I dunno...peanut butter and jelly?" Ellone asked.

"Well, that's a start, would you like a sliced up apple to go along with it?" Raine asked.

"Yes." Ellone answered, sitting down at the table.

Raine quickly assembled her lunch and Ellone started eating, enjoying the contrast of crunchy and sweet apples with the gooey peanut butter and jelly. She was just finishing up and putting her plate and glass in the sink when she heard a sound from the pub downstairs. Frowning, Raine went to investigate.

At first she thought it was Uncle Laguna coming home, but then she heard Raine say, "I'm sorry, the pub doesn't open for another two hours. Come back later."

Ellone felt a prickle at the back of her neck when a harshly accented male voice said, "I think we'll stay. Fetch us beer, woman."

Creeping to the edge of the stairs, Ellone crouched down to keep herself concealed as much as possible and peered thorugh the bannister. There were three of them, wearing the same scary uniforms that Ellone remembered from the day her parents were killed. The Bad People were back to kill Raine and Uncle Laguna now.  Ellone suddenly wanted to cry but clapped her hands over her mouth to stifle any sound that might escape. She had to be quiet, lest they see her and kill _her_ too.

She watched as Raine drew herself up, eyes flashing, and said firmly, "The pub is closed. Come back later."

One of the men, prowling around the pub with his gun at the ready, said something to the leader in a language that Ellone had never heard before. Then he indicated the stool at the bar where Ellone usually sat while Raine was working. Ellone bit her lip as she realized she had left her coloring books and crayons there, intending to color while Raine was working that night.

The leader, apparently the only one of the trio that spoke Galbadian, asked her, "You have a child? Son, or daughter?"

Ellone started to shake. Raine did not answer and refused to look upstairs where she knew Ellone was.

The man waited but when the silence stretched, he snapped out an order, which the other two men immediately moved to obey.

"They will search the building. I assume you live upstairs?" he asked her. Raine's eyes widened, and she shook her head in denial.

"No! No please, don't.." She began, but was silenced when the man coldly backhanded her.

"Will you answer my question? Son or daughter?" he asked her.

"Why does that matter? What do you want with us?" Raine asked, and the man raised his hand as though he was going to strike her again.

He didn't get the chance. Out of nowhere, Laguna tackled the man, taking him to the ground. Ellone wanted to scream, like Raine, who was crying out, "Laguna, don't, he'll kill you!" as the two men wrestled and grunted on the pub's floor at her feet. Frozen by the tense fight below, Ellone did not see the other man until he was already halfway up the stairs and had seen her.

She screamed and ran, trying to find a place to hide, but it was too late. He caught her in two strides, snatching her up despite her strident screams and futile kicks.

A single shot rang out, and Raine screamed. Laguna was moaning and coughing alarmingly. Ellone saw blood. Raine knelt next to him sobbing, pressing a rapidly reddening bar towel against his wound.

The last thing Ellone saw before they took her away was Laguna reaching out a bloodstained, trembling hand and croaking out, "Ellone...no..."

"This is the one we want," the leader said in satisfaction. "Let's go."

Ellone had gotten very good at crying quietly.

 

* * *

 

"Concentrate. Clear your mind."

Matron always began her lessons that way. Each day, they worked together in an effort to gain some kind of control over Ellone's otherwise wild talent. It was only partially successful, in that her ability had nothing to do with actual _magic_ , at least not as the world at large knew it, and everything to do with Ellone herself.

Ellone did as she was told, and when she achieved clarity, she opened her eyes and waited for Edea's next directive.

"Good. Now, first, I want you to connect yourself to the earth..."

"I'm on a boat."

"The concept is the same. Ground yourself. Always."

Sighing, Ellone did her best to do as directed. It was difficult though. Edea's methods were perhaps gentler and less punitive than Dr. Odine's, but she was no less relentless in urging Ellone to exercise her ability.  She didn't understand why and didn't _want_ to try and use that strange power she had. She just wanted it to go away. It had cost her everything she loved.

Eventually, she found her anchor point and, despite the shifting pitch of the White SeeD's ship, her perception steadied.

Sensing this, Edea said, "Good. Now, I want you to extend your awareness outward."

Closing her eyes, Ellone struggled to expand her mind, extending her inner senses, envisioning something akin to the radar sweep she had seen multiple times in the ship's command center.  What was she even looking for? Edea hadn't been clear on that and the uncertainty frustrated her.

Then she dismissed the thought and just let her mind wander. She touched Edea, who gave her a brief burst of approval, then brushed the minds of the SeeDs on the ship, then the children who populated it along with her. She was Sis here too, though it didn't have the same feel as it did when....

Thinking of him directed her mind to him. She tried not to, Edea was very clear that Ellone should leave Squall alone as much as possible, lest she somehow interfere with whatever Edea felt he should be doing. Ellone couldn't always help it; she missed him horribly and would sometimes connect with him in her dreams, quite without intending to. Thus far, she'd managed remain in the background, so that her little brother was unaware of her presence in his mind.

Another reason why Edea had counseled against Ellone peeking in on Squall was the fact that his life as a SeeD trainee was not an easy one. It was lonely, harsh, and dangerous. Each time she saw, and _felt_ , what he was going through, she was wracked with guilt for days afterward. She felt as though she'd abandoned him, even though the choice had not been hers.

Through Squall's eyes, she saw Seifer, older than she'd seen him last (how old would he be now? Twelve? Thirteen?), arrogant smirk on his lips, and a dangerous glint in his eyes. She felt Squall's weary resignation as Seifer's fist shot out and connected with his face.

He hit the ground with a grunt, twisted to avoid Seifer's kick, and surged to his feet, launching himself at Seifer. Ellone couldn't contain a burst of anger, spurred in part by Squall's own fury, and that energy in turn lent power to Squall's attack. She felt the impact as his fists connected in quick succession to Seifer's gut first, then as he doubled over, his face, and registered his surprise at Squall's fierce response. Several more punches followed that Seifer was unable to completely block and avoid, forcing him back, one step at a time.

The whole time during the fight, Ellone, as a passenger in Squall's mind, felt his inital flash of anger give way to icy calculation as he continued his relentless attack. Seifer fought back of course, and it was by no means an easy fight for Squall, who at only eleven was much smaller than Seifer. But Seifer's arrogance finally got the better of him and Squall saw the opening he needed to end the fight as a winner...for once.

A sloppy punch from Seifer was easily avoided by Squall, who ducked under it and inside Seifer's guard, taking the opportunity to employ a sweep and takedown. Seifer hit the ground with a surprised grunt, and his green eyes widened as Squall followed up by pouncing on him and simply pummeling him until he was dragged off by a pair of older cadets who were worried that he'd actually kill the other boy.

Suddenly the link was severed and Ellone stood blinking at Matron's stony countenance.

"Why do you do this? You cannot help him, and may actually harm him."

"I...I'm sorry, Matron."

"You do understand why we have to do this, don't you? Why you need to gain some sort of control over your gift..." Edea began, to be interrupted by Ellone, who said sullenly, "it's _not_ a gift.."

"It _is_ a gift," Edea insisted, "And if you want to be able to use it instead of becoming a tool like Dr. Odine and Sorceress Adel tried to turn you into, you will have to work on it. We are running out of time, Ellone."

Ellone swallowed. She hadn't wanted to believe Matron when she was finally told why they'd had to leave the orphanage in the middle of the night when she was eight, leaving her baby brother and all of her friends behind without even a good-bye.

Then Edea's eyes flared gold and Ellone shuddered as the Sorceress whispered, "I'm holding her back, but I can't hold her for long..."

She remembered that day. An apparition, bleeding pain and malevolence, stalked Edea's garden, searching for _something_... Ellone had been picking flowers at the edge of the great flower field when it- _she_ \- suddenly appeared from nowhere. She heard Squall calling somewhere in the distance, and Ellone had frowned in irritation and ducked down into the carpet of flowers to hide from him. Much as she loved him, she didn't always want to be bothered by him.

Screened by the foliage, she saw an odd tableau: the apparition, which was revealed to be a richly dressed woman, was walking slowly, and with difficulty, as though wounded and/or dying, along the path leading to the front door. She turned as though sensing Ellone's presence and made as if to approach, but suddenly Matron was there, stepping out of the shadows with Squall and a dark-clad young man, who drew a sword-like weapon and stood ready for battle. The woman redirected her progress toward them, and Matron laid her hand on the young man's arm. The young man turned to look at her, and sheathed his weapon at her direction.

Then she stepped forward to greet the wounded woman, who fell in front of her, then disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. Matron sagged momentarily, and the young man leaped forward to support her, releasing her and stepping back once she'd steadied. Then he drew himself up, standing to attention just like she'd seen Uncle Laguna do, and saluted Matron, before walking away and fading into the shadows.

Squall said something then, and Matron bent down to hear him better, brushing her hands over his head to smooth his unruly hair.

Matron was strange for days after that, and Ellone could hear intensive, low-voiced discussion between her and Cid. Try as she might though, she could not hear all of what they said, and understood none of what she _did_ hear. Still, it left Ellone with a sense of foreboding that was borne out when out of nowhere one night, Matron directed her to grab her meager belongings and follow her.

They boarded the White SeeD ship that night, and had been there ever since.

 

* * *

 

Ellone's days aboard the White SeeD ship were strictly regimented, and often boring. Still, the routine was occasionally comforting in its predictability. Up at dawn to eat breakfast with the rest of the kids and crew aboard, school, lunch,  then her lessons with Matron. Chores with the crew, self-defense lessons, dinner...then free time until bedtime.

She usually read, sometimes she meditated, particularly if Matron felt she needed a little extra focus. Truth be told, the meditation often _did_ help her come to grips with her still largely uncontrolled ability. The ship was safe, for the most part now, but still they kept sailing, usually stopping in port only to take on fuel and supplies.

Ellone remembered the first few years after she boarded the ship with Matron, when they were hunted, oddly, not by Esthar, but by Galbadia. Suddenly, Esthar wasn't a threat, though nobody could say for sure why. The entire country simply went silent and withdrew. Ellone hadn't felt Adel's presence since Uncle Laguna had rescued her from Dr. Odine's lab and returned her to Winhill.

He had apparently made good on his promise that the sorceress would never threaten her again.  The other promises he'd made: that he'd be back soon, that they'd be a family again...had gone unfulfilled.

Raine had died soon after giving birth to their son, still hoping that he'd return for her, for them all. But he never did.  Ellone didn't know if she could ever forgive him for that...if he was even still alive.

It occurred to her suddenly, that if she wanted to, she could find out. She was strong enough now that she could attempt to connect with him, if he was. The question was, did she _want_ to? There was a long list of reasons why not, the ethical ramifications of doing so being one of them. Matron had been very strict about that, another reason why she disliked Ellone popping in and out of Squall's mind like she did.

Another reason was the fact that she might learn things she didn't need to know. Hurtful things. What if he never intended to return for them? What if he'd forgotten them?  What if...

A sudden flash of memory came to her then: Uncle Laguna, and his friends, tall and slender Kiros, gigantic Ward, both standing at his back, guarding them both. Uncle Laguna had squatted down on his heels in front of her like he usually did, so that he could see her face better, he said, he being so much taller than she was.

Tucking a stray bit of hair behind her ear, he said gently, "I'm sending you home to Raine, peanut. It's not safe here for you. Not yet."

"Aren't yoo coming home with me, Uncle Laguna?" She asked.

He shook his head, eyes glittering wetly, "No sweetie, I can't. You see, I made a bargain with the people who helped me find you. I can't leave until I fulfill that bargain."

"Will you come back home when you do?" Ellone asked him.

"Yes. I promise. You go with Kiros, baby. He'll take care of you."

"Why can't you come?" Ellone asked, eyes starting to tear up.

Uncle Laguna closed his eyes for a moment and swallowed hard before he answered in a thick voice, "I have to fight Sorceress Adel, sweetie. Until she's dealt with, she'll always be a threat to you. That's why I'm staying here to help the resistance. They need my help, and I need theirs. We can't do this alone, she's too powerful."

Ellone frowned. Adielle...or Adel, as she turned out to be, was not the friend Ellone had originally thought she might be. In fact, she was the worst entity she'd ever encountered. Queen she might be, but she wasn't a _good_ Queen. She was selfish, cold, and cruel. And what Ellone had endured while in Dr. Odine's hands, at Sorceress Adel's urging, was the stuff of nightmares.

"Will you kill her, Uncle Laguna?" Ellone asked, causing his eyes to widen in surprise and dismay.

Staring at her in consternation, he answered slowly, "If I can. Whatever happens Ellone, she will no longer threaten you. If its the last thing I ever do on this earth, I will at least make sure of that."

Ellone wondered if in fact it _was_ the last thing he'd done in life. If so, then perhaps he'd found Raine and they were together. Perhaps.

Shaking her head in exasperation, she got up and left her berth. Too much time spent in her own head was starting to make her feel confined and anxious. She needed fresh air. She decided to stop thinking about Uncle Laguna for the time being and went up onto the deck.

The White SeeD ship was a marvel of marine design. A sleek, fast craft with uniquely constructed solar sails that not only caught the wind but the sun as well, it used both to power it silently through the waves. There _was_ a diesel engine as well, but fuel was costly, so it was only used at great need.

The sun had set long since, so it was the freshening evening breeze that was filling the great sails and speeding them on their way. Ellone walked forward to the bow, and, with the wind at her back, watched a huge, golden moon rise above the darkened surf.

Squeaks and clicks coming from the water below the rails had Ellone leaning upon them to look into the dark water below to see what might be there. A pale grey shape broke the surface with an exhalation of air and sliced back under the waves. A porpoise. Another breached, leaping impressively high, nearly level with the ship's railing, before falling back into the water.

Suddenly the entire pod was doing it, and Ellone watched, entranced, as each creature took it in turn to leap to the level of the ship's rail, as though to get a better look at her. Ellone wondered if the animals found her as diverting as she did them. Eventually, they tired of that activity, or they'd all figured out what she was, and decided to make a race of it instead. Their sleek bodies sped through the water and kept pace with the ship easily, then pulled ahead as they continued on whatever route they had decided to travel.

Ellone sighed, watching them go. Feeling better, she decided to return to her berth and start getting ready for bed.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Ellone was just finishing breakfast when one of the White SeeDs, a young Ensign not much older than she was, came up to her where she sat with the rest of the kids _._

"Matron wants to speak with you when you're finished there." he said.

"I'm finished now," Ellone said, discarding the remains of her breakfast and following him to the Captain's cabin, where Matron was waiting for her.

"You wanted to speak with me?" Ellone asked upon entering.

"Yes." Matron answered.

"What about?" Ellone wondered.

"Your progress here." Matron answered. "You've done well with your lessons. Have you given any thought to what you wanted to do with your life once you've finished school?"

"I thought I was supposed to play some important part in this war you keep talking about." Ellone replied wryly.

"You will, but you will have a life after it's done. What do you want to do with it?"

"What do _you_ care?" Ellone said, suddenly angry. "I'm as much a tool to you as I was to Dr. Odine and Sorceress Adel. At least they were up front about wanting to use me and why."

"I care," Edea said evenly, "because I want you to survive this and to have the life you want and need, after its over. I... it may be possible to regain at least a portion of what you lost..."

"Unless you can turn back time or resurrect the dead, I don't think so."

Matron fell silent and studied Ellone for a moment before saying gently, "trust me Ellone, when I say that all is not lost."

"Why can't you just tell me how we can stop .. _whatever..._ is coming? Why all this...this fiddling around and dodging and avoiding stuff? _Why_? I thought you could see the future!" Ellone cried in frustration.

"It's not that simple, Ellone." Matron said. "Some events...loom larger than others. Events that affect many will have far too many destinies involved to prevent or redirect. Such events never have just _one_ person or situation that can change their course. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to avoid it, Fate will simply redirect you to that same path."

"So, it doesn't matter what I do then, does it? Whatever happens will happen regardless. So why do anything at all?" Ellone said, flinging her hands out. "Hyne! I'm _so_ tired of this stupid boat! You know how long it's been since I've stepped on land for even a _minute_?"

Edea sighed. "Far too long, I know. Ellone, another of the reasons I wanted to talk to you was to let you know that....I'm going to have to leave soon. It's... It's time."

Ellone froze and stared at Matron. No, that flash of gold in her eyes had not been an illusion. Not her imagination. The entity whose power Matron had accepted all those years ago at the orphanage, was growing stronger.

Matron had told Ellone of why they were on the boat when she'd been old enough to understand it.. At least in part. Some of it, even now, she struggled with and Matron couldn't explain it. She'd also been told that eventually, for her safety and the safety of the children on the ship with her, they would have to part ways.

"Captain Tarin has told me that we need to make port for supplies. She's thinking Dollet. We should be there long enough for you to see the sights with your friends," Matron said into the heavy silence.

"Praise Hyne. I get to set foot on solid ground for a change." Ellone said sarcastically. "How many SeeDs are you going to saddle me with this time?"

"Just two. And they're friends of yours, so I don't think you'll find their company too trying." Matron said dryly.

"Sarine and Tressa?"

Matron nodded. 

Ellone sighed, "well I guess that won't be too bad then."

"Glad you approve. Now then," Matron said briskly, standing up. "I need you to join me in the work room this afternoon, after lunch. One-thirty."

Ellone suddenly went cold all over, and she took a deep breath and asked, "You want to try...it....again?"

Matron nodded, "Yes. I know you can do it..."

Ellone swallowed and looked away, "but.. I don't _want_ to do it."

Matron's expression turned both compassionate and sad as she said, "I know you don't. I know what they did to you in Esthar. But that is the core of your power Ellone. What we've been doing, while important at refining your control, is really just nibbling around the edges of it. You need to get comfortable enough to actually _use_ that power."

Ellone folded her arms over her chest and shook her head. It was one thing to let her mind drift and brush the minds around her. She had gotten better at not intruding and seeing things that she shouldn't. But forcing someone _else_ into a link? If such an intrusion were a physical one, it would be called rape. As a young child, she hadn't understood those boundaries.

It had taken both Dr. Odine and Sorceress Adel to teach her that rape wasn't always a _physical_ assault.

"Ellone. I give you permission to link with me, and in turn, I want you to link me with Cid."  
 

* * *

 

The "work room" was essentially the brig. However, there was little need for it in the normal course of things, and it was windowless, secure, and soundproof. Sorceress Edea had also warded and sealed the doors and added several magical shields.

Adel, or any other sorceress, would be unable to sense the working of magic within those wards and shields. Despite the fact that neither she nor Ellone had sensed Adel in several years, she was taking no chances. Even though Ellone's power stemmed from within her rather than from the lineage of Hyne, Edea, and any other sorceress, could still sense her psychically. 

"Do you remember how to do it?" Matron asked her.

Swallowing, Ellone nodded. She would rather she didn't, but Dr. Odine's tutelage had been very thorough.

"Proceed then," Matron directed after she'd found a comfortable spot on the floor, leaning against the ship's bulkhead.

Ellone closed her eyes and extended her senses, touching the intimate familiarity of Matron's mind. She was never sure how to describe what it was she did, she only knew that it was easier when she knew the person or persons involved. Matron acknowledged her presence but did nothing else, waiting patiently for Ellone to establish the link.

Despite the fact that she wasn't as familiar with Cid's mind, Matron still had an active bond with him, so it was easy for Ellone to follow it to him. Feeling her way through the link, and acting as a conduit, Ellone sensed both minds on either end.

She paid scant attention to the emotions between the two, lest she be distracted by them. Concentrating on Edea's mind, Ellone pulled her into Cid's. Suddenly, they were in a dank, dark office with a hugely corpulent and rather sinister looking Shumi rumbling something incomprehensible at him.

"Fururururu...I did not provide you funding for this enterprise of yours, Cid Kramer, without some hope of receiving benefit from it. Your last crop of SeeDs were a disappointment. I have concerns about your training program. The reputation you have managed to establish over the last four years is in jeopardy.  "

"There haven't been enough good jobs to send them to, Norg." Cid said, frustration evident to both passengers in his mind.

"None that you will entertain," the Shumi said disdainfully. "You seem unaware of the true function of mercenaries, and keep passing up lucrative jobs because of something you like to call 'integrity'. Integrity! PAH! FUFUFUFU! They are mercenaries! For sale to the highest bidder, whatever the job! Reputations are built on results, not philosophies! This is a business, not a charity! Furururu!"

Cid growled under his breath. How could he explain what Edea had seen when she absorbed the power of that dying sorceress? She could not tell him when the future she'd seen would come to pass, only that their foster children would play an important part in it. Those children were, even now, in the process of becoming the warriors that Edea said they needed to be.

But he wasn't fully comitted to stealing their childhoods, or the childhoods of any of the children he'd forged into SeeDs, and in this, he realized he'd done them a disservice. His young warriors were dying because he wasn't giving them enough seasoning. He was failing them.

"Despite your... _issues_... we do have several jobs available, if you would deign to accept them." Norg rumbled wryly.

Cid frowned, then sighing, said, "Show me. I'll see who's available."

The massive Shumi handed over several folders, which Cid took without comment, turning to leave.

"You will send me your recommendations by end of day."

Cid scowled but bit his tongue. He needed Norg as his partner. Without him Balamb Garden would not even have been built. But being beholden to that renegade Shumi was galling. He nodded silently in acknowledgment instead, then walking out the door.

As he headed to his office, he began mentally sifting through the active SeeDs that he knew were available and what their specialties were. He knew he needed to read the offers first to see what the clients wanted and which SeeD would be the best for which job...but it never hurt to have them in mind when he did. 

Upon reaching his office he sat down and opened the first folder, beginning to read.

_This is not the right time._ _We need to go back farther._ Matron sent. _Go to the day we met._

All right, Ellone responded, then pulled.  Matron had sent her the date, but even so, it was easy to home in on the precise moment, because it was vivid in each of their memories.

A blink, then she and Matron were in Cid's mind...and he was fighting.

Ellone couldn't hide her astonishment at seeing, and _feeling_ , Cid dodge, dance and cleave his way through a group of enemy fighters, wielding a gunblade.

When the last enemy fell, Cid kicked open a door that he'd been battling toward, revealing a dank, filthy room full of what appeared to have been hostages, mostly women and children.

"Come on," he said. "We need to get out of here!"

They all got up, the younger children ushered out by a beautiful young woman with long, black hair. When everyone had cleared the room, only she remained.

"Come on, we need to go," he urged.

"Leave me." she said. "I will make my own way out."

He stared at her, puzzled at her resistance, and yes, attracted by her beauty.

"You'll never make it out on your own, this place is crawling with bad guys."

"You didn't kill them all coming in?" she snorted disdainfully. "Then why should I trust you to get me out safely? Just go. They'll be too busy chasing you to worry about me."

Frowning fiercely, he growled and grabbed her arm, dragging her along. "Come on lady, I don't have time to debate this!"

"My name is Edea." she said, ceasing her resistance and grudgingly following him.

"Mine's Cid. Cid Kramer." he grunted, releasing her arm and hurrying to the front of the group to lead them out. Edea, interested in spite of herself, followed him.

She was relieved to see that he hadn't come alone, he _did_ have a team to back him up, so she didn't have to use much of her power to help them battle their way out. Certainly, not enough to attract undue attention.

Cid himself however, he attracted her attention quite handily. Stocky and powerfully built, made so by the huge blade that he wielded, he had a strong jaw and light golden brown hair...and, when he looked back and grinned triumphantly at finally winning through to freedom, her heart leaped right into his hands. His brilliant, dimpled grin was her undoing.

Cid, for his part, battled his growing attraction to her the entire way back to Galbadia. The prisoners they had liberated needed to be debriefed by President Deling's newly created Security Council for any information on their captors that they could recollect before they could be returned to their homes. So it wasn't until their last day together that he kissed her.

_Enough._ Matron sent. _Take me back to the present._

_All right._ Ellone responded, reconnecting with present-day Cid.

He was still reading the proposals he'd been given. Ellone gradually became aware of a deep and profound grief coming from Matron.

_Cid, my beloved. My knight. My husband._ She whispered into his mind.

He froze. _Dee?_

_Yes, my love._

He swallowed. _How...are you? I...I miss you, Dee._

_I am well...for now. I miss you too, Cid._

_Is...SHE...getting stronger then?_

_Yes._

_So this is good bye._

_Yes._

Ellone felt the sudden sting of tears and wished she could be anywhere other than there, privy to this most intimate of conversations. She wondered why Matron, with her powers as a Sorceress and the bond she had with Cid, had chosen to have Ellone link them instead. She decided to ask Matron as soon as she could.

_Are...are the children doing okay?_ Edea asked.

_They are coming along. Squall is quickly becoming a prodigy with the gunblade. Seifer's not too far behind him. I'll have to find a gunblade master to teach them soon. They're already very close to outstripping my meager skills._ Cid answered.

_You give yourself too little credit._

_And you give me far too much. I'm out of shape and out of practice. They need someone better than me._

_I wanted to tell you, Cid, that I..._

_I know Dee._

_I love you, darling. I will always love you, so long as my soul still lives..._

_As will I. I hope this works. I hope this will all be worth the sacrifice._

_So do I, Cid._

_So, what now?_

_I...must sever the bond, my love.  It is very possible that the next time you see me, I will be a stranger._

_And I will have trained our children to kill you. Dammit Dee, I wish there was some other way..._

_You know there isn't._

_I know._

_Farewell, my love._

_Good bye Dee. I love you..._

A flash of power cut through the link, severing the bond that Ellone could sense, like a hot knife straight to the heart. Love, pain and grief washed over her, and she came out of the link with a jerk, eyes streaming tears.

Matron leaned against the bulkhead, face white, sobbing silently.

 

* * *

 

Ellone sat at a patio table, enjoying the bright sun, the cool coastal breeze and the solidity of the ground beneath her, enjoying an ice cream cone. Her friends/bodyguards, Sarine and Tressa, sat with her, likewise enjoying some ice cream while occasionally scanning the area. She didn't mind that their attention wandered periodically, it was their job after all, and the fact that they were friends made it easier for her to take. At least she knew that they were taking her safety seriously not just because they'd been ordered to, but also because they genuinely cared.

"I think Sabin has a crush on you," Tressa was saying, tossing her thick braid of blue-black hair back over her shoulder.

Ellone snorted, "He's sure got a funny way of showing it. He hasn't said two words in a week to me since forever."

"Yeah, he's bit of a loss for words around you, poor lad."  Sarine said sympathetically, in between licks of her ice cream cone. "Still, the signs are there, if you're paying attention."

"What signs?" Ellone asked, curiously.

"Did you ever notice that he blushes just about every time you say anything to him?"  Tressa asked her, blue eyes sparkling.

"Really? No, actually I haven't." Ellone said.

"Poor Sabin. So, he's got no chance with you, does he?" Sarine asked.

"I didn't say that!" Ellone protested. "It just never occurred to me! I mean, like I said, we've barely spoken!"

"A bit shy, Sabin is. Still, if you catch him right, you can tell he's _definitely_ interested." Sarine said.

Ellone frowned, unsure of what to think. She liked Sabin, and had found his shyness kind of endearing. She thought that his reticence might be due to the fact that while he was a junior SeeD, he was _still_ a SeeD and several years her senior. While a three-year age difference wasn't much in the larger scheme of things, the fact that he was eighteen to her fifteen appeared to matter a great deal to _him_.

"I wonder why, I mean, I'm sure he probably thinks I'm still a kid..." Ellone began.

"Ellone, I know he doesn't." Tressa said gently. "He sees in you what we all see: your sweetness, how gentle you are, how, despite everything you've had to deal with, you're still so innocent it makes my heart ache. I'm sure it does his too. The fact is Ellone, we all would die just to preserve that innocence."

"And don't sell yourself short in the looks department either, Elle. You've got skin to die for, and the prettiest brown eyes I've ever seen!" Sarine said.

Ellone studied both friends, while heat bloomed in her cheeks, suddenly at a loss for words herself. Both girls were beautiful in their own right, resplendent in their brilliant white and gold-chased SeeD uniforms. Tressa, tall and graceful, with dark lashed, crystal blue eyes and thick, midnight silk hair and Sarine, petite and curvy, with a tousled cap of short-cropped golden hair and jade green eyes.  They both joked that they were so good at protecting their clients because they were too beautiful for anyone to believe they were _actually_ bodyguards.  Until it was too late, and whatever threat to their client was eliminated with astounding speed.

Needless to say, they were much in demand.

Ellone found it interesting however, that they would never talk about any of the jobs they'd been on, even if they'd been gone for an extended period of time. At least, they wouldn't tell _her_ about them.  Knowing what she did about what SeeDs were however, Ellone was okay with not being told the gory details.

And then there was Sabin. In truth, Ellone _did_ find him attractive.  Tall and lithe, he wore his dark brown hair long; he normally had it confined in a tail at his nape. His eyes were a warm chocolate brown, and his smile dazzled with its sweetness. He was intelligent and kind, and Ellone decided that if he was indeed interested in her as more than a friend, she would not be opposed to a romance with him.

Their conversational topic moved to more general things, shipboard gossip having long been exhausted. It was a rare afternoon when Ellone could, just for a moment, pretend that she was just an ordinary teenager out with friends, enjoying ice cream in a beachside parlor.

Ellone returned to the ship feeling much refreshed by her all too brief foray ashore. The rest of the White SeeDs and the kids aboard had also had the opportunity for some R & R, so everyone was in a festive frame of mind.

Dinner that evening, as the ship sailed away from Dollet, was an enjoyable, convivial affair, and Ellone, feeling greatly daring, had started to engage Sabin in conversation. After getting over his bashfulness, he turned out to be as articulate and interesting as she had hoped he would be.

So caught up was she in her efforts to make a new friend, and perhaps more, of him, she didn't notice that Matron had not been at dinner. Realization didn't dawn on her until she read the contents of the folded envelope that had been left on her pillow.

_Ellone._

_My dearest child, the moment we have been dreading has come. Events that have been set in motion almost from the moment of your birth are now moving at a pace much faster than I can manage any longer. The OTHER....will have engulfed me utterly by the time you read this, and so with the last of my strength, I have attempted to sever all bonds. Do not try to find me. If we meet again in the future, we will be strangers, and I will be your enemy._

_Remember. Please, REMEMBER. There is a REASON that I forbade you to train like SeeDs do; they use Guardian Forces, which supplant and some say, even ERASE memories. While this was a desirable outcome for SOME of my children, I wanted at least ONE, YOU, to retain ALL of your memories. They are more important than you know._

_Be well child. Be strong. I cannot tell you more of what is to come and your part in it because SHE is listening. Her name, by the way, is Ultimecia. Remember it. As yet, she does not know that you are the one she seeks, but eventually she will. Trust your instincts, they will not steer you wrong._

_I am no longer Matron; I am now Sorceress Edea._

_Farewell, my dear._

The words blurred as Ellone's eyes flooded with tears.

Matron was gone.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So, here's the next installment... hope you all enjoy it. Doing my best to keep my writing going daily and hope to finish this story by month end.


	3. Part III: Wild Card

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balamb was a charming town. While not as cosmopolitan as Deling City, perhaps, and not quite as picturesque as Dollet, it had its own unique character. She took her time, strolling the cobblestone streets, taking in the sights and getting a feel for the place where her brother had grown up.

Was _still_ growing up. He'd only just be seventeen now. Hardly an adult, despite what was expected of him.

Ellone appreciated the discretion of her White SeeD escorts, particularly Sabin. Despite their friendship, he maintained his professionalism when it was his turn for protection detail. She could have engaged them in conversation if she had wished to, but for this trip, preferred to be left to her own thoughts.

She spared a moment of regret that her relationship with Sabin had never gone beyond platonic friendship, despite the fact that he plainly wanted it to, and had for years. She did as well, but their circumstances had worked against them, particularly in recent months. Things were coming to a head, Ellone knew, and something told her that she had to see Squall, just once, before...

That was just it, she didn't actually _know_. He might survive what was to come, and he might not. The possibility that he might _not_ was what had brought her there, at least in part.

As charming as Balamb Town was, it was also quite small, and didn't take long for Ellone to see what there was to see. The hotel of course, which while small, was lovely. The small boutique shops, obviously geared toward the tourists that the island's lovely beaches and highlands attracted, were interesting. The outdoor cafes and coffee shops added to the general aesthetic of the place, with gaily colored umbrellas shading their tables from the warm afternoon sun.

It made her feel somewhat better, knowing that Squall lived in such a peaceful, lovely place. She hoped he managed to take a little bit of that peace for himself when he needed it.

"The car's ready."  Reported an auburn haired SeeD, returning from that errand. Easily as tall as Sabin, the SeeD made Ellone feel decidedly miniscule, standing between them.

"Thanks Erron." Sabin said. "You ready to go Elle?"

"Yes," she nodded.

Erron drove, and Ellone sat in the front seat between him and Sabin, wrapped up in her thoughts. She scarcely heard the radio playing, or the desultory conversation between the two men with her. Gradually, she became conscious of the warmth of Sabin's thigh against her own, and her hand, as if of its own volition, drifted over and laced her fingers with his. His wordless squeeze and warm, solid grip, anchored her and provided needed comfort.

She wondered if she'd even recognize Squall. She hadn't seen him in over a decade; the occasional forays into his mind did not include a moment where he'd looked in a mirror, oddly. She already knew that he wouldn't recognize _her_.

The trip wasn't a long one; they pulled up at Balamb Garden's front gate far sooner than she thought they would.

Officially, both Sabin and Erron were with her not just as her escorts but because of some business the White SeeDs had with Cid himself. In the normal course of things, a pair of senior Lieutenants wouldn't necessarily have to do protection duty. Of course, in Sabin's case, he would have done it regardless, because of his friendship with her.

Ellone and Sabin disembarked at Garden's gate while Erron drove off to park the car. By the time he returned, they had already established their bona fides with the SeeDs on Security Detail, and their presence already phoned in to Cid.

Then they were walking through a beautifully landscaped garden, and from there through a breezeway. Sabin and Erron hung back to give Ellone some privacy at her request. She didn't want anything to distract her or take away from that first moment when she saw Squall. She wasn't even sure yet what she'd say, if anything.

 She wasn't sure where to even look for him. She had only the vaguest of notions of where Cid's office was. If she didn't run across Squall on the way there, she'd ask Cid.

As it turned out, she saw him almost immediately after entering Balamb Garden proper.

 As she walked along the corridor, her attention was captured by a large picture window that showed what appeared to be a hospital room. Ellone's first thought was how odd it was. It was as if whomever had ended up there was being put on display for some reason.

 In fact, there _was_ someone there, lying on the bed, holding his gloved hand against a bloodied bandage wrapped around his forehead. The angle of his arm and the bandage obscured his face, but something about him seemed familiar, and she paused, studying him.

 He was clad in dark brown leather with a white tee-shirt, upon which rested a heavy silver chain and pendant. What she could see of his hair above the bandage was brown, longish, and rather wild. She couldn't guess at his height, as he was lying on the bed, but she couldn't help but be impressed at how long his legs were. 

 She again experienced a thrill of familiarity, as though she'd seen him before, and frowned, trying to place him. Then he heaved a sigh, dropped his hand and rolled his head over, meeting her eyes. Ellone's heart stuttered to a stop as she stared into the face of a ghost.

 Raine's ice-blue eyes. Raine's medium-brown, copper-shot hair. Raine's _face_...marred by an injury that could have maimed the young man who wore it, had its placement been less fortunate. Raine's _son_. Ellone's mouth went dry, then she approached the window as though pulled, and bent down for a closer look, attempting a friendly smile that faded at the cold wariness that greeted it.

 "Squall," she said lamely. "So we meet again."  The wariness in Squall's eyes faded to confusion, and it was too much for her.  She fled, eyes blurring with tears.

 She _knew_ he wouldn't recognize her, but knowing it intellectually and then being greeted by the cold reality of it were two different things. It hurt far more than she'd thought it would.

 She found herself staring blindly at a beautiful fountain situated in the center of the academy, letting the quiet splashing of water soothe her as she wiped the tears away from her face. 

 A handkerchief appeared out of nowhere, and Ellone glanced up to meet Sabin's concerned expression.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

 "I..." she began, then sighed. "No, it isn't. I mean, I _knew_ he wouldn't recognize me at all, that was part of the plan. But actually _seeing_ it... It hurts. It really, _really_ hurts."

 "I'm sorry, Elle." Sabin said softly, reaching out and squeezing her shoulder.

 It wasn't enough. Not for her. She turned and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face into his white-uniformed chest, paying scant attention to his start of surprise and sharp intake of breath. Slowly, hesitantly, his arms slid around her, and she tightened her embrace in response.

They stayed like that for a long moment, unwilling to break contact yet. She didn't want to push Sabin, truly she didn't...but she knew things were going to come to a head soon, and they'd wasted enough time. Looking up, she met his eyes and caught the naked longing in them. She wanted him to kiss her, was all but begging for it, and he saw her desire. She _knew_ he did. Swaying forward, she lifted her face toward his. He bent his head as though to meet her, then stopped....and swallowed, lifting his hand to caress her cheek instead.

 "We'd...better go." he said quietly. "Cid's waiting for us."

* * *

 

 The meeting with Cid was mainly for Sabin and Erron to report on the current status of the White SeeDs... and what they thought Sorceress Edea was up to. After she'd disappeared six years ago, there had been little news of her, though rumors swirled about a mysterious woman who'd somehow insinuated herself into Vinzer Deling's company.

   "She's gathering power," Cid said thoughtfully. "And doing so in such a circumspect manner I doubt anyone has a clue what she really is. Not yet, at any rate."

 

 "That's what we think," Sabin said. "What we've managed to gather in the way of intelligence from Deling City seems to corroborate it."

 Cid sighed, and mumbled under his breath, "I hate it when she's right."

 "Sir?" Sabin asked, confused.

 "Never mind, Lieutenant. Thank you for the briefing." Cid said, and catching Ellone yawning for probably the dozenth time, adding. "I have guest quarters set aside for you if you'd like to stay here? Ellone at least looks as though she could use the rest, or at least some fresh air. If you'd like to go and have a look around Ellone, I can have a cadet show you where to find everything. The Quad in particular is lovely, and very popular with our cadets."

 "That would be wonderful, thank you Cid. I think some fresh air is exactly what I need." Ellone said in relief.

 She spent the next little while in the diverting company of an energetic young cadet who was more than willing to show her anything in Balamb Garden that captured her interest. So she followed the girl in a complete circuit of the central fountain, learning the layout of the place.

While she did, she wondered about Squall and how he was faring there. She'd wanted to ask Cid about him but something held her back.

"..and here's the library, if you're looking for something to read," the girl was saying.

 Ellone followed her in, taking a deep breath of the silent peace that lived in all libraries. Perhaps she'd find a book to read...then she chided herself at the thought. She had no idea how long they'd be there and when she'd be back. It would be folly indeed to check a book out with no idea of when or if she'd be able to return it.

 They'd just left the library when Ellone happened to glance toward the main lobby, catching sight of several students gathering there for some purpose. She frowned, studying them.

 "What's going on over there?" she asked the cadet.

 "Oh, that?" the girl shrugged. "It's the latest group going out for a field exam today. The best get promoted to full SeeD."

 Ellone watched for a moment, noticing a tall young man in a pale grayish trench coat, standing with a large, swarthy man, and a slim, silver-haired woman with an eyepatch. The close-cropped blonde hair and arrogant attitude made his identity easy to deduce: Seifer.

 She was tempted to walk closer for a better look but stayed put and concentrated on fitting names to faces that _had_ changed, but still retained enough of their childhood for her to recall their identities. Zell, bounding around like he'd always done. Selphie, fidgeting with her nunchakus. Squall, standing off to the side with arms firmly crossed over his chest. Aloof. Alone. Quistis, apparently the one in charge of the group, busily explaining something before yielding the floor to Cid and a dark haired woman.

 The girl sighed, catching Ellone's attention.

 "You want to be there with them, don't you?" Ellone asked.

 "Yeah, but I didn't qualify for this Field Exam, and there won't be another for months." She answered, shrugging. "Anyway, if you'll come this way, I'll show you the cafeteria."

 As Ellone turned to follow, she wondered aloud, "has anyone...died...during a field exam? I mean, how dangerous are they?"

 The girl shrugged, "Well, it's a real-life situation. They try to contain the risks as much as possible, and nobody's died in recent memory, but a lot of that depends on how well the cadets follow orders."

 "When will you know who's graduated?" Ellone asked.

 "Later tonight. They'll have a graduation ball to celebrate the new SeeDs."  the cadet answered, and continued her tour, indicating the Cafeteria and the Quad. "If you're hungry or something, there's the cafeteria. They'll be serving dinner soon. Are you staying here or in town?"

 "Here. Cid's set us up with some guest quarters in the dorms." Ellone answered.

 "Oh! Well let me show you where they are." the girl said, taking off at a brisk walk.

They arrived at the dorms after a few minutes, and Ellone's escort left her to her own devices.  She surveyed the place as she entered, discovering it to be a suite, with three small, closet sized bedrooms just large enough for a narrow bed, small table and chair, dresser, and wardrobe. There was just enough floor space between the bed and everything else for Ellone to walk without bumping into anything. Opening off of each of the bedrooms was a common room, sparsely furnished with a couch, a couple of chairs and a coffee table. For someone who had spent a large portion of her life aboard a small ship, however, the dorm rooms seemed ridiculously luxurious.

 Sabin, or Erron, had already brought her duffel in and left it on the bed. At a loss of what else to do, she started to unpack. That task took only a few minutes however, leaving Ellone far too much time to think.  Which wasn't necessarily a _good_ thing.

 As they often did, particularly lately, Ellone's thoughts turned toward her younger brother. He didn't appear as tall as her initial impression had made her think, and he was...harder... than the little boy she remembered. He was now more adult than child, right on the cusp of when the last bit of childish softness gives way to adult bones and muscles.

 She wished things had turned out differently for him, for them all. She wished that what was coming could still somehow be avoided, so that Squall wouldn't have to risk his life preparing for a fight that he might not survive. Edea couldn't say with any certainty that he'd succeed. She only knew what Ultimecia had known...which was that while Squall had delivered her deathblow, she had struck back with the last of her remaining strength, in a blow meant to kill. Whether that blow had found it's target or not, was unknown, and would remain so until it actually _happened_.

It all came down to her. She was the catalyst that had started it all. Sorceress Adel had wanted her as an heir. A successor to release her power to after she died. Ellone's unique talent had been far too attractive for Adel to pass up, leading to an escalation of the Sorceress War, the murder of her parents, her kidnapping, and Laguna's subsequent quest to find her. That quest in turn, while successful, had led to Laguna's involvement in Adel's resistance, and his disappearance after Ellone had been returned to Raine.

 In running over the progression of events that had led both her and Squall to this point in time, Ellone could only conclude that if her kidnapping could only have been prevented; if Laguna had somehow been made aware of it before it had come to pass, if Sorceress Adel had _not_ become aware of Ellone's ability and had thus been so focused upon acquiring her.. he wouldn't have had to leave Raine.

 While his remaining by her side as she gave birth to their son might not have prevented her death, it _would_ have prevented everything else that had followed. Maybe. There was the sorceress, Ultimecia, to consider. But, while Matron might have had to accept the sorceress's power regardless, _she_ , and Squall, would not have been involved.

 Matron would have had to pick another champion.

 Ellone could see the past, but could not change it. She could not directly influence anyone with her ability. But, maybe, just maybe, _direct_ influence wouldn't be necessary.

 The kernel of an idea began to form in the back of her mind, and Ellone examined it. Poked at it. Studied it from all angles. It was by turns audacious and reckless, and might ultimately be ineffective.  She was going to try it anyway.

* * *

 Sabin, and Erron returned a short while later, with Sabin asking her, "Dinner's serving now, are you hungry?

  Ellone nodded, suddenly conscious of how long it had been since breakfast, and realizing that she'd skipped lunch.

 "All right, let's all go then." He said.

 Ellone followed her escorts to the cafeteria where they all chose their dinners. The variety of the fare was fascinating to her, since their choices aboard ship were far more limited, particularly when they were due for resupply.

 Of particular interest to her were the fresh greens and veggies. Those were hard to come by, and they usually only had that within the first few days after a supply stop. After that everything else was canned or dried, as what freezer and refrigerator space existed was largely given over to such things as milk, meat, and more rarely, ice cream.

 So distracted by the novelty of fresh food, Ellone was only partially aware of the conversation going on between Erron and Sabin.

 "...felt bad for the guy, can't have been fun.." Erron was saying.

 "Well, if you make a stupid mistake, you deserve a bit of embarrassment, provided nobody's died from it."  Sabin replied.

 "Harsh though, putting it all on display like that." Erron commented.

 "Putting what on display?" Ellone asked, confused.

 Sabin glanced over at her, and answered, "The infirmary. Putting anyone on display who goes in for a minor, stupid injury like that guy did this morning."

 " _Stupid_?" Ellone asked, aghast. Were they talking about Squall?

 "Yeah." Erron said. "He looked like an upperclassman. Should have known by this point how to duck and avoid injury. He didn't, so..."  he shrugged. "Rather an effective punishment, if you ask me. Heard the guy was dueling, which is forbidden."

 "What about the other guy?" Ellone challenged, upset on Squall's behalf, and feeling compelled, once again, to be his champion. "Why wasn't _he_ shamed as well? It takes two to duel. I _know_ Squall didn't injure himself!"

 "Squall?" Sabin asked, eyebrows raised. "That was Squall? Your brother?"

 "Yes!" Suddenly, Ellone felt tears stinging her eyes. "How awful is it that the first time I see him after thirteen years, he's lying on a bed with a bloody bandage on his head, in front of a big p-picture window so he can be s-shamed for getting hurt!"

 Sabin and Erron exchanged disconcerted looks, then Sabin reached out and placed his hand over hers, saying, "Look, that'll help him in the long run. He'll try harder to avoid getting a silly injury like that..."

 Dashing tears from her eyes, Ellone challenged, "and what about the other guy? Huh? How does _he_ get away with it?"

 Sabin shook his head, "I don't know Elle. Maybe he wasn't hurt. I'm sure they'll sort that out. It obviously wasn't a serious injury, because he went off on his field exam today."

 "He didn't look like I expected him to." Erron mused. "I thought he'd look more like you for some reason."

 "Well, we're not actually related by blood. His mother and father adopted me before he was born."  Ellone explained. Then she bit her lip, worried, and said, "I hope that doesn't hinder him."

 "I don't see why it would, he didn't lose an eye at least." Erron shrugged.

 Ellone sighed, then looked over the remains of her dinner, appetite suddenly gone. "I think I'm going to go back to my room and rest a bit. You guys can do what you want, no need to babysit me _here_."

 "You sure?" Sabin asked, giving her a searching look. When Ellone nodded, he said, "all right. I guess we'll see you later."

 She got up and discarded what was left of her meal and headed back to her room, fully intending to take a nap or find a book to read.  Anything to keep her from worrying about Squall.

 She wondered how long the field exam would take, when he would be back. If he would manage to graduate to SeeD and then... It would all begin.

In fact, had _already_ begun.

 Despite the anxiety that bubbled under her seemingly unflappable façade, she did in fact end up taking a nap. As she slept, she dreamed. This time, she knew it was a dream; they were all together,  and they were happy. Squall was there as the affectionate, sweet little boy he'd been before she had been whisked away from him.  It made her sad, knowing that the child he had been was no longer there. One look into his eyes had told her that.

 The idea that had been germinating in the back of her mind grew in strength. Could she do it? _Should_ she?

 Suddenly restless, she got up and left her room, wondering all the while if the field exam had concluded yet and what the results were. She listened for any announcement to that effect while she walked to the library, but when she heard nothing, she sighed and decided to ask the next cadet that she saw. Perhaps she'd missed it while she was napping.

 It was fairly late, well past dinner time, so it _should_ be done. Upon entering the library, she asked the girl manning the checkout counter, who confirmed that the field exam had been concluded, new SeeDs chosen, and the Graduation Ball was well underway. Breathing a sigh of relief, she retreated to a quiet, secluded corner of the library.

 What she had in mind was in the nature of a test. She couldn't do what she intended if she couldn't touch Squall's mind, and it had been years since she had last done it. He might have changed too much for her to be able to connect with him.

 Taking a deep breath, and grounding herself like Edea had taught her, Ellone let her mind drift outward, seeking.

 And then...there he was. She slipped easily into his mind; yes, he _was_ different. Older, for one thing. But _still_ her brother, and familiar enough that she could do what she needed. She carefully remained in the background, not even trying to read his surface thoughts, paying scant attention to his emotions, and simply observed.

 He was...dancing? Well, _kind_ of. A pretty, dark haired girl had grabbed hold of his hand and, to his consternation, was dragging him onto the dance floor. A bit of awkwardness ensued as he resisted her efforts to get him to waltz with her, until a chance collision with another couple made him decide to stop resisting and actually _dance_.

 In the end, he acquitted himself well; His natural, athletic grace employed to good effect.

 Ellone withdrew and sat, thinking. She _hated_ feeling helpless. She'd had her fill of that. She wanted to DO something. She didn't know if what she intended would actually _help_ , but.. It was better than sitting safely hidden while the world tore itself apart around her.

 The anxiety was mounting again, and Ellone closed her eyes and started meditating in an effort to calm herself. It took longer than usual, but in the end, she regained clarity.

 Arriving at a decision, she got up and strode purposefully out of the library. She had to talk to her brother. Despite not actively connecting with him, she could still sense him, and knew exactly where he was. So, upon exiting the library, she headed toward the Training Center.

* * *

 

 Ellone vaguely remembered what the cadet had told her about the Training Center. Something about it being too dangerous to enter alone, without a weapon. But she wasn't _actually_ going in. Not all the way. She'd stay just inside the entryway, and if something threatened her, she'd duck right back out. And she'd just wait there for Squall to come back out.

  It _did_ occur to her that she had no idea what to say to him. Obviously, she couldn't tell him what she had planned; he'd think she was crazy. And he would probably be right. Worse, he'd likely refuse to help her. To him, she was all but a stranger, so she would have to go carefully.

 She paused at the doorway, heart pounding in apprehension. This was quite possibly the stupidest thing she'd ever do. Certainly the warning signs posted all over the place argued for it.

 Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

 It was, quite possibly, the most amazing thing she'd ever seen. Warm, humid air pressed against her skin, while the atmosphere was redolent with the scents of a thousand varieties of tropical flowers and plants. Lush foliage, tall trees, velvety green grass underfoot and a path that led deeper into the jungle and tempted her to explore. However, keen awareness of her vulnerability and the fact that the enclosure was stocked with several varieties of monsters, some extremely dangerous, that wandered at liberty throughout, kept her close to the exit.

 She contented herself with exploring the entryway itself, wiping the sudden dew of moisture that gathered on her forehead as she did. After a few minutes, she heard a rustle in the thick jungle just beyond the range of her vision, and felt her heart leap into her throat. Another sound, this one suspiciously like a soft growl, sent an icy trickle of fear down her back and she turned to head back to the door, heart pounding.

 Out of nowhere, a creature that looked like a rock with claws burst out of the foliage and rolled, just like a boulder, at her.  Ellone screamed and dodged, only to have another attack from that direction and nearly run her down. She dodged that attack, and was nearly run down by a third monster.

An earsplitting shriek from above made her instinctively duck as something buzzed over her far too close for comfort.

 She fetched up against the relative shelter of the wall, too far from the exit door. When she tried to edge her way over, one of the rocklike monsters blocked her with a snarl like grinding pebbles. 

 "Somebody help!" she screamed.  The flying monster, a creature that looked terrifyingly like a giant wasp, shrieked and dove at her again, and Ellone screamed in answer, ducking and covering her head.

 Running feet answered her and moments later, Squall, with Quistis following closely on his heels, burst into the clearing, gunblade ready.

 "Squall!! Squall!!" she called out to him, and he flicked a dispassionate glance at her before launching himself at the monsters.

 "Quisty?" Quistis glanced at her as well, a frown line showing between her elegant brows, before snapping her whip at the flying creature.

 Ellone shrank back against the wall, trying to breathe as both Squall and Quistis, working so smoothly in tandem it was as though they were telepathically linked, easily demolished the creatures that threatened her.  It was more than impressive to watch.

 More running feet sounded and both Erron and Sabin appeared, twin expressions of alarm on their faces. They both reached Ellone's side just as the fight was winding down.

 Taking her arm, Sabin said firmly, "It's not safe here. Please, let's go."

 Ellone hesitated, glancing over at Squall and Quistis, neither of whom appeared to be much discommoded by the brief fight. She opened her mouth to say something, _anything_ to them, but Sabin's grip tightened and she sighed.

 "..Alright."

 Following both men out, Ellone wondered when she'd get to see or speak to Squall next.

 Neither of her escorts spoke with Ellone during the trip back to their rooms. Through Sabin's grip on her arm, she could feel fine tremors as he fought not to crush her arm in his grip.

 Immediately upon entering their rooms, he roughly turned her to face him, gripping both shoulders painfully and glaring into her eyes.

In a deceptively calm voice, he asked her, "Just what, _exactly_ , did you think you were doing there?"

 Swallowing, Ellone answered, "I wanted to talk to Squall, and thought he might be found there."

 "And the dozen or so warning signs plastered all over the walls on the way in weren't convincing enough that it was dangerous in there?"

 "Okay, _yes_. It was stupid. But I thought I'd be safe enough just inside the doorway. I wanted to wait there to catch him as he comes out." Ellone answered.

 Erron made a sound under his breath and Sabin turned and said, "I'm going to talk to her privately for a moment, Erron." Turning back to her, he dropped his hands, then jerked his head toward one of the bedrooms.

 She picked hers, and turned to face him when she heard the door click shut. Lifting her chin and doing her best not to look like the silly girl she felt she was at the moment, she opened her mouth.

 Before she could say anything however, Sabin demanded, "Are you deliberately trying to kill me?"

 "Ah," she began, then took a deep breath and tried again. "I'm sorry Sabin.."

 "Hyne's blood, Elle! I thought my heart would stop when I saw those monsters attacking you, and me too far away to save you!" Taking  a shaky breath, he continued. "You have no idea how relieved I was when I saw your brother and that blonde woman charge in and attack those things."

 Leaving the doorway, he approached her until he stood directly in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders again, this time, gently.

 "Do you have _any_ idea what it would do to me if I lost you?"  He asked softly.

 Ellone shook her head, "Sabin, I didn't do that to get your attention or _scare_ you..."

 He studied her searchingly, "Then why didn't you stay outside the door and wait for your brother there? Why take such a risk?"

 "I don't know Sabin, I truly don't. I just felt like I _had_ to do that. I think part of it was me wanting to see Squall fight, see if he could do what he's supposed to do." Ellone said, struggling to put into words the illogical compulsion she'd had. Sabin frowned and she hastened to add, "No, I wasn't being possessed or controlled or anything. I know what that feels like and this wasn't it."

 "Well, from what I've seen, your brother definitely has some impressive skills." He replied. Then he squeezed her shoulders gently and added, "just, don't take any more silly risks like that, okay? I don't think my heart could take it."

 Suddenly, Ellone found it hard to breathe and said, "I didn't know I meant that much to you..." She'd meant it to sound light and witty; it ended up anything but.

 "Ellone," Sabin sighed and closed his eyes briefly, then continued. "All these years....I've loved you _all_ this time. Circumstances just seemed to conspire against us getting together and I was too much of a coward to try and surmount the obstacles that kept coming up. I told myself that I at least had your friendship, that if I tried for more I'd end up losing even that, and I just didn't want to take that risk. I was too afraid." Raking his hands through his hair- he'd cut it short when he'd gotten his lieutenant rank- he added, "I just never knew how _you_ felt. Not really. And it seems like, if there was ever a time to _talk_ about this, with everything that's happening and is _going_ to happen, it would be now." 

 She couldn't speak, couldn't find the words to respond to that. Tears blurred her eyes, and she stepped forward and slipped her hands around the back of his neck and pulled him down into a kiss. His initial shock faded quickly and his lips came alive against hers as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. For moment that lasted forever, all Ellone was aware of was the taste of Sabin's kiss, the feel of his body against hers, the warm, sheltering strength of his arms around her.

 "What do we do now?" She whispered into his chest when they finally came up for air.

 "I don't know," He answered softly, kissing the top of her head. "Start here?"

 "Sounds good to me."

* * *

 

 Ellone debated over telling Sabin what she was considering doing, but decided _this_ particular exercise of her talent would be wise not to mention. To _anyone_.

   She stretched, sighing, alone in her bed. Despite both the temptation and the desire to explore their newfound accord physically, it took only one look at the size of Ellone's bed and Sabin's above average height to make that a less than optimal venue for such an undertaking. Thus, each reluctantly retired to their respective beds that night.

 It was just as well, as Sabin had observed. At least his professionalism wouldn't be called into question. Ellone's response to that was shockingly rude.

 "Ballocks."

 "Really Ellone," he chided. " _Wherever_ did you learn such language?"

 "From a ship full of sailors. Where do you _think_ I learned it?" she had retorted. His response was an amused snort, then a lingering kiss before bidding her good night.

 Swinging her legs over the edge of her bed, she sat up and thought for a moment, wondering where she should do... What she was planning to do. She could just do it in her room, but the downside of that was of course the fact that she could easily be interrupted there. The library?

 Possibly. It was quiet, and if not exactly _deserted_ , certain areas of it were less trafficked than others. And there was always a study cubicle, if she wanted to be completely undisturbed.

 Coming to a decision, she got out of bed, gathered up her clothes and bathrobe and headed off to get showered and dressed for the day.

 One plus about being in Balamb Garden was the fact that both Erron and Sabin considered it to be secure enough for them to relax their vigilance. They were still watchful, but didn't find it necessary to follow Ellone absolutely _everywhere_. So she was able to have a bit of time alone without having to sneak out, lie, or fill out an exhaustive request form in triplicate. As long as she stayed away from the training center unless they were both with her, they were okay with allowing her some freedom.

 In truth, Ellone thought that maybe _they_ needed a break as well. No telling when either of them had actually had some leave time. So, after parting ways with them in the cafeteria; they intended to blow off some steam and hone their combat skills in the Training Center, she headed for the library.

 Once there, she found an unoccupied study cubicle, really a small room;  went inside, closed and locked the door. There was very little floor space, and the closet-sized space was stuffy and claustrophobic, but she managed to shove the small table and chair aside enough to be able to sit on the floor with her back supported in the far corner. She _could_ have sat in the chair, she supposed, but after having fallen out of one once while caught up in a link, she was wary of doing so again.

 Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and centered herself. Then she reached out, searching... He was easy to find, and she watched through his eyes as he boarded a train with Zell, and Selphie.

 Through the conversation she listened to, she learned that, mere hours after being made SeeD, they were already on their way to an assignment in Timber. She had originally thought to connect with only Squall, but realized that what she intended might require all three of them. She wasn't entirely sure she _could_ link all three, but it was worth a try. They were in a secure location and were physically safe, so she was reasonably certain that no harm would come to them.

 Reaching out, she linked with both Zell and Selphie, blanketing their minds and sending all three to sleep. Then she reached.... _back_.

 Spinning her consciousness out like a thread, and pulling Zell, Selphie and Squall along with her, she searched, unsure of what she'd find. Unsure, really, of what she was actually trying to _do_. Then, suddenly, _he_ was there. The shock of touching Laguna's mind after not even _seeing_ him for nearly two decades was like a blow to the gut, leaving her momentarily breathless. She then felt a moment of exhilaration at having managed to do it at _all_ , never mind the fact that the _time_ wasn't exactly the one she was shooting for.

 He was running through a thick, green forest; Timber, she'd heard his companions say. Ward and Kiros were also there, and she realized that she'd connected with him in a time prior to his meeting her and Raine in Winhill. Recalling the strength that she'd inadvertently given Squall in his fight with Seifer years ago, she now deliberately connected all three trained SeeDs with Laguna and his companions, hoping that would help them.

 She then retreated into the background. She couldn't release the link of all six minds as she was the conduit maintaining the connection. She had to remain, and willing or not, become privy to whatever transpired.

 So she watched, and she learned, as the SeeDs, confused at first, adapted quickly to the situation they found themselves in. She saw as they instinctively channeled their strength and the powers of their GFs into their unaware hosts, behaving as though they were GFs themselves.

 This was important. The time she had landed them all in was a fortunate one, in that there was very little to threaten them, only enough for them all to get the hang of this new connection. She knew, from the histories that she'd read of the Sorceress War and the Timber-Galbadia conflict, that things would get steadily worse from that point.

 But for the moment, Laguna and his cohorts, tired of wandering about the forest- apparently, Uncle Laguna had a _terrible_ sense of direction- gave up, got back into their truck and headed back into Deling City, and their favorite bar.

 The events that proceeded from there were eye-opening at the very least. She tried hard not to let her emotions leak into the link; it would distract and disrupt the connection between all the minds that she had in the link, and the whole thing would come apart. Still, she found it very difficult indeed not to laugh out loud at Squall's mental reactions in particular as he was an unwilling witness to his father's awkward attempts to romance a young pianist.

 All too soon, she had to release the link. Squall and his companions had arrived at their destination and she was growing tired. She had learned a great many things about Uncle Laguna that she had never known before, the most surprising thing being that _he_ was the inspiration for Julia Heartilly's one and only hit, "Eyes On Me".

 She had observed enough, she thought, to convince her to continue connecting Squall and his companions with Laguna and his friends. Matron had said that they would not be able to affect what was to come because there were too many people,  too many destinies, involved. Well, Ellone was going to try to change at least one, _tiny_ part of it. The level of control that the SeeDs had exhibited over their hosts, and the fact that Laguna, Ward and Kiros were only peripherally aware of them, thinking they were just buzzing or ringing in the ears, gave her hope that it might work.

 It was all a matter of finding that _one_ moment that would change just enough of Laguna's destiny to prevent her from being kidnapped, Uncle Laguna from being injured and, once he was recovered enough, leaving to go find her. If she hadn't been kidnapped, he'd never have left Raine. She and Squall would not have ended up in an orphanage run by a Sorceress who, in an effort to protect her children from the power that a dying Ultimecia was trying to confer, had taken that power into herself.

 Matron had said repeatedly that you could not change fate. Well, Ellone was going to try.

* * *

 

 Ellone connected several times with Squall and his companions. Each time getting one more piece to the puzzle, one more link to the chain connecting past to present. She learned more of Uncle Laguna and his adventures with his friends, finding that a lot of the stories he'd told her when she was little were in fact, _true_. If a little exaggerated in parts.

 She also learned more about the person that Squall had become, and she was both proud of him, and sad for him.  He was cold, aloof and distant with his comrades; she could not rightly call them friends, for he rebuffed virtually all overtures toward that direction. He spoke little, but thought a great deal, so that when he _did_ speak, people tended to listen. He was a natural leader, despite his reluctance to take on that responsibility. And he was a fighter to reckon with.

 In linking with him and then connecting him with Laguna, she also learned, from his worries and what was on his mind, what their situation was at that moment. And it was becoming increasingly dire.

 On her third attempt to connect with him, she was drowned in pain and fear, and an increasing lassitude as his vitality faded even as she tried to hold on to it. She realized then that he had somehow been fatally injured. Panic raced through her and she grabbed for him, trying to hold onto her link with him, but it was sputtering, fading. She was no sorceress, she had no such power, but what strength she had, she tried to send to him to keep him away from the encroaching darkness that she could sense but not stop.

 Then suddenly, warmth suffused them both as healing energy coursed through his body, easing his pain and staving off the darkness of waiting oblivion. Ellone, much relieved that his unconscious state was now due to sleep, continued and connected him with Laguna...and did her best not to allow her aching heart overwhelm her as she saw Squall experiencing one of her most poignant memories.

 She began to wonder if she was actually doing what she _thought_ she was doing, or was she instead simply showing Squall snippets of his father's history in order to...what? Determine if Laguna still lived and where he might be found? Introduce two strangers, each completely unaware of the other's existence, to each other?  _Trust your instincts_ , Matron had told her.

 She came out of this last session emotionally wrecked and ravenous. She had lost all sense of time, while connecting Squall with Laguna's past, so had no idea if hours or _days_ had passed.  Surely, Sabin and Erron both would be frantic by now, if she'd been out of contact for _too_ long.

 Standing up, she stretched, feeling incredibly stiff; she'd obviously been immobile for a very long time. She learned exactly how long when she walked out of the library and ran straight into Sabin.

 "There you are!" he said in relief. "I hadn't seen you all day and was beginning to worry. Have you been here the whole time?"

 "Yes, I lost track of time." Ellone explained with a shrug.

 "Well, are you hungry? The cafeteria's nearly closed but if we hurry we might make it." Sabin said, then suggested, "Or, we could go out...."

 "What time _is_ it, anyway?"

 Checking his watch, he grimaced, "too late to find anything in town open, that's for sure. Little towns like Balamb tend to roll up the sidewalks at sundown. I doubt anything but the pub would be open this late."

 "Well then, cafeteria it is." Ellone said.

 They barely made it, and the available selections left much to be desired, but Ellone settled on a bowl of soup and a sandwich. The salad bar had already been shut down for the night.

 "I called Captain Tarin. She's bringing The Corsair to come get us. Should be here tomorrow, next day at the latest." Sabin said while she ate.

 "Why?"

 He shook his head, frowning, "I'm getting a vibe here that I don't like. I can't really put my finger on it, but there's some definite underlying tension between the Garden Faculty and Cid.  Besides, our business here is finished. We made our report, and you got to see Squall..."

 "I _saw_ him, yes. I haven't actually had a chance to _speak_ to him." Ellone said.

 "Elle, he's on assignment, and there's no telling when or...or _if_ ...he'll be back." Sabin said, swallowing and clearing his throat, then adding. "We can't wait for him. We've been here too long already."

 "We've been here two days." Ellone said flatly.

 "That's plenty long enough for a lot of things to happen, you know that. I'm hearing rumors, not just about stuff between Cid and the Garden Faculty but things from Deling City too, that make me think that now would be a good time to get out of here." Sabin said, adding. "And your brother is in the thick of it."

 "I know." Ellone said, her throat suddenly closing up and making it difficult to swallow.

 He frowned again, then asked, "are you done here?" At her nod, they got up and discarded her leftovers, then left the cafeteria.

 As they walked, he said, "there's a secret area in the middle of the training center. It's private, few people go there..."

 Ellone snorted, "I've heard of it. It's a notorious make-out spot."

 "It's also one of the few places where you can have a private conversation where the Garden Faculty and pretty much everyone else won't overhear."  Sabin said. "Here," he added, handing her his sidearm, "I know you can handle that. Just shoot anything that doesn't look human."

 "You're serious."

 "Very. Just stick close to me, and we'll be all right. I wouldn't even consider risking this, but it's important." He said. He stopped for a moment and drew his cutlass, then pushed the door open.

 Ellone followed his lead as they entered the Training Center, trying not to think about the creatures that had attacked her the last time she was there. At his urging though, they ran, dodged, shot and hacked their way through the jungle, arriving at the secret area out of breath and drenched in sweat.

 They went inside and leaned against the railing, until they'd caught their breath.

 "Nice view," he commented, indicating the vista before them. Ellone nodded, taking in the waxing moon and the lights of Garden's main building, illuminating the night.

 Turning to face him, Ellone asked, "What's going on Sabin?"

Sabin's lips thinned for a moment, then said in a low voice, "One of our sources in Deling City sent me some video. Right now, _here_ , all Balamb Garden knows is that Squall and his team are out on assignment, ostensibly to assassinate Sorceress Edea, but nobody's heard a report from him about it. The video I saw leads me to think that nobody will."

Ellone's blood turned to ice, and she swallowed. "He's not dead."

Sabin frowned, saying, "Elle..." sighing, he bowed his head and raked his hands through his hair, continuing, "the video starts off with some kind of rally or something, where Sorceress Edea _publicly executes_ Vinzer Deling. And people _cheered_ , Ellone. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I don't know what kind of spell she...or _Ultimecia_.. Had cast, but thousands of people _watched_ her commit murder and nobody did a damn thing!" He shook his head.

Ellone covered her open mouth with her hand and stared at him, appalled. Squall was going up against that? The power it would take to cast a spell of  that magnitude was unimaginable.

Before she could think of anything to say to that, Sabin continued, "I...saw the video of your brother, charging them. Hyne, he was a brave kid. Really he was. The fight with her and her knight was damned impressive. But...Ellone.." He swallowed, continuing with difficulty, "the sorceress...she attacked with ...these spears of ice. One of them went through your brother's chest. I...I don't see how he could have survived that."

"He's not dead." Ellone said again.

"Elle..."

"He's _not_!" she insisted.

"Elle, honey," Sabin stepped forward and grasped her shoulders gently. "He took a meter-long spear of ice the thickness of my arm through his chest. If it didn't kill him instantly, it certainly wouldn't have taken long."

"Squall. Is. Not. Dead." Ellone said, slowly, distinctly. "I _know_ he's not!"

" _How_ would you know Ellone? I mean, granted, if someone had a potion to give him _right then_ , maybe, but even so, the chances are very slim, given the situation..."

"I know because I would have _felt_ him die!" Ellone cried. "I _felt_ his pain!  I _know_ he was hurt! He _was_ dying, but someone healed him. He's not dead. I don't know where he is now, but he is _not_ dead!"

Sabin closed his eyes sighed in relief, "Then there is still hope.."

"Yes," Ellone said softly. "There is."

Sighing, Sabin stepped forward and pulled her into an embrace, as much to take comfort from her as to give it. Ellone burrowed into his chest and closed her eyes, tears prickling behind her lids. No, Squall wasn't dead but his brush with the reaper had frightened her badly. What if he'd died while she'd been linked with him? They weren't linked so tightly that she would have been pulled into the abyss with him, at least she didn't _think_ so... but knowing what that felt like from the inside....that was knowledge that she could do without.

They stood together like that for a long moment, just...feeling.

Pulling back, Sabin said, "there's another reason I brought you here."

"Oh? There's something else?" Ellone asked, suddenly feeling a great deal less safe than she had previously, in light of Sabin's revelations.

"Yes." he answered, meeting her eyes and watching them darken in realization of the intimacy of their position and the fact that at the moment, they were totally alone. Then he bent down and brushed her lips lightly with hers, whispering, "this." before kissing her.

Gently at first, both getting used to the newness of it, then gradually deeper, more passionate, and more intimate as their mutual desires took over. In the back of their minds, unspoken, but nevertheless there, was the sense that they both stood balanced on a precipice, where one slip would be their end. For Ellone, whose entire life was lived for a nebulous future that had now arrived, the shift was at once disorienting and disconcerting. Sabin, as a SeeD, of necessity lived life moment by moment, because tomorrow was not promised, not for anyone who wore the uniform of a SeeD.

So, in that frame of mind, they took what they wanted and needed from each other. And if Ellone had chosen Sabin to be her first lover, who was he to dissuade her from it? Instead, keenly sensible of the honor, and happy beyond measure to at long last have his heart's desire, he strove, with every kiss, caress and touch, to lay his heart at her feet, and give his soul up to her keeping.

Ellone, for her part, understood what he was communicating to her, and responded in kind. And as their bodies became one for the first time, exchanged her heart for his. Then they both blazed high, coming back to earth as ashes, and falling asleep in each other's arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Well then, here's a LONG chapter to tide you all over while I work on finishing this story. And I WILL finish it, despite how increasingly difficult it is for me to find the time to write these days. Yes, there is a LITTLE hint of lemon here, and the next chapter will have a little bit more, but...well.. you'll just have to see what happens next. 
> 
> It's always interesting to try to weave actual dialogue from the game into a story, and I have found myself referencing the actual game script multiple times to get it right. It makes it both easier and more difficult to write a creative story built around an existing framework like that. Particularly as the dialogue sometimes leaves a great deal to be desired.


	4. Past Imperfect

 

 

 

Past Imperfect 

 

 

 

Ellone woke stiff, sore in unaccustomed places, and disoriented. Stretching, she groaned quietly, wondering why the hell she'd fallen asleep on the hard floor of the Secret Area in the training center. Then she rolled over and saw Sabin sleeping peacefully next to her and a wave of tenderness washed over her. _That_ was why.

Propping her head up on an elbow, she simply studied him as he slept, awash in the newness of their intimacy. She'd always thought him attractive; but seeing him now in nothing but his skin, the only description that came to her mind regarding him was _beautiful_. Long, clean limbs, muscular but not bulky with it, gracefully chiseled features, lips that she could kiss all day, soft, warm brown eyes....that were currently staring back at her.

Suddenly she was at a loss for what to say.

"You okay?" he asked her softly, reaching out to caress her cheek gently.

"Yes," she finally whispered, turning her head to kiss the palm of his hand.

He reached for her and she slid into his arms, meeting his lips with hers.  They made love again, with Sabin striving to be gentle, very aware of how unused to the activity she was. Even so, the interlude came to a mutually satisfying conclusion, and they lay close together in the afterglow, unwilling to cease touching each other.

"That was...better." Ellone said, caressing his cheek softly.

Sabin smiled wryly, "Yeah, the first time isn't always that good. I did my best, though." 

"It wasn't bad, this was just better. I was more relaxed and..it didn't hurt as much this time." she said.  He stroked his hand down her back, palming her backside and pulling her close.

"It gets better," he assured her, then sighed and released her, glancing at his watch. "But I think we need to get dressed and go back to the real world."

Ellone sighed as well, and said, "I don't want to. I want to stay like this, with you."

Sabin's eyes softened, and he said, "So do I, Elle. But it's past time we got back. I'm just surprised that we've had this place to ourselves for so long."

Ellone shrugged, "Well, it _is_ a weeknight.."

"True enough," he said, then yawned and stretched.

Watching him, Ellone's mouth went dry and she couldn't take her eyes from him.  Despite being slightly sore from their activities, she had a sudden craving for a repeat.

"You keep looking at me like that, Ellone, and..." Sabin began, standing up and showing her exactly how it was affecting him. "Well, let's just say I may need some "alone time", since I don't want to hurt you any more than I already have."

Ellone giggled softly then replied, "Sorry."

"That's okay," he said, pulling on his pants. After fastening them, he leaned in and gave her a lingering kiss.

Then he reached his hand down and helped her to her feet, pulling her into his arms and just holding her for a moment.

"I love you," he whispered into her hair, kissing the top of her head, then stepping away to pick up his shirt and tunic and resume getting dressed.

Ellone smiled at his turned back, and answered, "I love you too." 

It was while getting dressed that she learned of some of the messier aspects of having sex, particularly for the first time. Grimacing, she pulled her clothes on and resolved to take a shower as  soon as they got back to the dorms.

Once they were dressed, Sabin was back to being all business as he checked their weapons and ammunition, and led her out of the Secret Area and back into the Training Center. Oddly, they encountered virtually no resistance, and when asked, Sabin could not come up with an explanation for it. The lateness of the hour was his suggestion, but Ellone knew from what the cadet who'd given her the tour of Balamb Garden had told her, that some of the monsters there were nocturnal.

In any event, they made it back to the dorms without further incident and Ellone collected some clothes and toiletries and headed off to the showers.

As the warm water sluiced sensually down her body, Ellone couldn't help recalling that Sabin's hands and lips had taken that same pathway. And just like that, the craving he'd awakened in her roared back. She had to admire his restraint, because soreness notwithstanding, she'd have been more than game to give it another go.

Once finished showering, she dried off, dressed in a pair of pale blue pajamas and continued her nightly getting-ready-for-bed routine.

Both of her escorts were not in evidence when she returned to their suite. The doors to their respective rooms were closed, and Ellone guessed that they had both gone to sleep. Sighing, she headed to her own bed, wishing she'd been able to give Sabin one last kiss good night.

It was as she was settling herself in for the night that she wondered if the change in her relationship with Sabin would present a problem for he and Erron. As far as she knew, there was nothing prohibiting him from it, so long as he performed his assigned duties without allowing himself to be distracted. Erron was certainly aware of their friendship, and might even be aware that more lay beneath the surface of that friendship. There were few secrets aboard The Corsair.

If he'd had a problem with it, he'd have voiced his opinion long since.

Satisfied that she wasn't likely to drive a wedge between Sabin and his partner, she relaxed into sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

 

The next morning started like any other, though Ellone figured it would be her last day at Garden. She hoped that she'd get some kind of  word from Cid about Squall's fate, and tried very hard not to worry about him. She knew at least that he was still alive. She'd have felt it, if he'd died, she was sure.

Since she was relatively certain The Corsair would be there later that day, she took a few minutes after getting dressed to repack her duffel so as to be ready when it arrived.  When she left her room, Erron and Sabin were ready and waiting to go with her to breakfast. They didn't have to, but she appreciated their company and was glad they had waited.

But the moment they stepped outside their rooms, Ellone immediately felt that something was... _wrong_.

When she voiced her concern, rather than discounting it, Erron and Sabin both exchanged a frowning glance and readied their weapons.

"Glad I'm not the only one that feels like something's off." Sabin commented. Erron nodded.

"I can't tell _what_ exactly is wrong but..." Ellone tried again, trying to identify the unsettled feeling she got the moment she left their rooms.

"It's too quiet. There should be cadets going to classes or to the cafeteria for breakfast. I haven't seen one cadet yet, and we're in the dorms."  Erron said, frowning as they walked through the - yes, virtually deserted- corridor toward Garden's central hub.

"You're right," Sabin said. "It's not so early that there shouldn't be a dozen cadets at least, coming and going." Glancing over at Erron, he added, "ready arms."  As one, both SeeDs reached for their weapons.

As they did, one of the ubiquitous Garden Faculty members appeared in their pathway. Ellone, who'd found them unsettling to begin with, found this particular member's very posture to actually be menacing.

Before she could say anything about it however, he raised his hand and shouted out, "There they are! The White SeeDs! Cid's pets! GET THEM!"

Sabin and Erron exchanged an alarmed glance, with Sabin saying, "What the hell?"

Then a high pitched whistle sounded, followed immediately by a snarl as a pack of  Grendels, summoned from Hyne knew where, charged them.

Sabin and Erron immediately unloaded everything they had on the creatures, then Sabin grabbed Ellone's arm and yelled, "Run!"

She didn't bother asking any questions, she ran, fear choking her and making her lungs burn. Erron brought up the rear, doing his best to keep the monsters off of them by lobbing Firaga and meteor spells at them. Not easily done on the run, but Erron hadn't earned his lieutenant's stripes for nothing.

"Get to the library! It's closest!" he yelled.

"Well hurry up then Erron, what are you doing back there?" Sabin called back to him.

"You're never going to outrun these things, they're too fast! I'll hold 'em off! You get Ellone to safety!" Erron replied. Stopping, he turned to face the onslaught, expression grim.

"All right, fine! I'll be back to help as soon as she's secure!" Sabin said and increased his pace, all but dragging Ellone along with him in his urgency.

"I'll be counting on it!" came Erron's reply. Then he screamed.

"Keep running!" Sabin urged her in a choked voice. "Don't look back!"

"Erron!" Ellone sobbed. She didn't have to look back. She knew he was dead.

She redoubled her efforts, trying vainly to match Sabin's longer strides. He could have easily outrun her, but he stayed right beside her, keeping her upright when fatigue made her stumble, urging her to greater efforts as they tried to outrun the death that was snapping at their heels. They were almost there, the door to the library was just meters away...

Suddenly a flash of light, then two, appeared as a pair of cadets sprinted forward, casting Firaga and Blizzaga spells. Another cadet, one that Ellone recognized as the girl who staffed the checkout desk, flung the door to the library open.

"Come on!" she called. "Hurry!"

Ellone ducked through and it closed behind her, clicking shut and locking before she realized that Sabin hadn't followed her in. The cadet was pulling urgently at her, trying to take her farther into the library but she stood rooted to the spot, staring at Sabin, who stared back with tear-bright eyes from the other side of the glass.

_I love you_ , he mouthed, then his expression hardened into determination and he turned to join the cadets who were still fighting.

"Sabin?" Ellone said, then she ran for the door, screaming. "SABIN!" She grabbed at the door handle but it was locked, and the cadet was tugging at her arm, saying something urgently to her but Ellone couldn't hear it. She was too busy screaming Sabin's name and pounding on the glass.

Her whole attention was taken up with watching as Sabin, tall, handsome, and so, _so_ brave...helped the two cadets who were defending the library. Watched as he flung Firaga spells at the two remaining Grendels, slashing and dodging with his cutlass, while the cadets summoned their GF's.

For a moment, it looked like he'd be okay. He handily killed one of the Grendels, while the cadets did for the other. They had only enough time for a quick breath of relief however, before the second wave of attack came in the form of a walking nightmare.

She heard it before she saw it. Felt the floor beneath her feet shake at its approach. She had no idea _what_ was coming, but it was huge, whatever it was. Then it roared. Even through the glass it was deafening.

The cadet's tugs at her arm became more desperate.  
   
"Ellone! Come on! we have to get to cover!" she said, voice high with panic.

But she couldn't move. She couldn't look away. She blinked tears away from her eyes and watched as the largest t-rexaur she'd ever seen stalked into view, head weaving side to side as it scented its prey. Then it let loose a roar that shivered the glass, and charged at Sabin and the two cadets.

Both cadets cast Firaga spells, then one of them desperately tried a Blind spell. But it missed. Then Sabin charged in, slashing low and dodging under the gaping maw, drawing the monster's attention to give the cadets time to summon their GF's.

The attacks _did_ injure the creature, but only enough to enrage it further. With a snarl, it whipped around and lashed out with its tail. It was sheer chance that it caught Sabin squarely and sent him crashing against the wall, to lie in a crumpled, motionless heap, while narrowly missing the two cadets.

"No..." Ellone whispered. _Please get up_...

He didn't move.

_Please_...

Her vision blurred as the cadet, who'd finally summoned help, pulled her away from the door. From the last sight she'd ever see of Sabin.

Then everything, _everything_ , was dark, full of tears, and pain that went soul-deep.

 

* * *

 

 

 

Ellone did not know how long she sat pressed into a corner with the girl who'd pulled her unresisting body away from the glass doors. She was sunk too deeply into her own grief and pain to take any notice of what was going on around her.

Eventually, the noise of battle quieted and the cadet, whose name Ellone had learned was Lily, got up with a quiet word to check on the current situation. Ellone just sat numbly wiping tears away, and dealing with her clogged sinuses. Anything to pull her attention away from the ragged hole where her heart had been. She had little doubt that Sabin was dead, but she wasn't sure she wanted confirmation of it just yet.

"Looks like order's been restored. There's no more fighting, at any rate." Lily said.

Ellone simply shrugged. She didn't care.

Lily bit her lip, then tentatively said, "I'm...sorry about your friend. You were...close?"

"Yeah," Ellone whispered hoarsely, wiping at her nose again. "You could say that."

The girl looked distressed and reached out to touch her shoulder gently.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "He's... I could check, you know, to see where they..."

"No." Ellone whispered. "Not yet."

The girl swallowed, then nodded.  "Oh. Okay."

Ellone gave her a wan smile. It was the best she could manage. They sat in silence, Ellone too drained to even attempt to interact.

She wondered why the girl was still there. If the fighting had stopped then Lily could go back to her post or do whatever she wanted. No need to keep her company.

But she stayed. She did get up and leave occasionally, when called upon to do one thing or another, but she always came right back and sat quietly next to Ellone.

She had no idea how much time had passed when she became aware of another stirring of activity. Lily looked around with a frown and got up to check it out, and Ellone, tired of wallowing in her own despair, decided to follow her.

Walking into the main part of the library, she saw the girl talking to a SeeD, while other SeeDs and cadets moved quickly and purposefully around outside the library proper, already busy with the process of reclaiming Garden from the recent chaos.  Unwillingly, her gaze strayed to the spot in the corridor outside where she'd seen Sabin fall, but he was already gone, leaving behind a red smear on the wall he'd been thrown into.

Tears prickled in her eyes again and she swallowed, blinking. 

Gradually, she became aware of vibration under her feet. Along with it came a deep rumble. Both became louder and more pronounced, then a sudden surge of energy made  the fine hairs on Ellone's arms and the back of her neck stand on end. Suddenly, the entire edifice shuddered as though trying to shrug off it's passengers, knocking everyone to the floor.

Surprised exclamations and cries of pain followed the movement of the ground, with some SeeDs equipping their GFs or weapons in preparation for another attack.

Then someone screamed, "MISSILES INCOMING!"

Some cadets panicked. Others calmly took charge of the panicky ones and attempted to calm them. Those SeeDs that Ellone could see in the immediate vicinity, one and all, began desperately casting protective and regenerative magic upon themselves and the younger cadets, then grimly gripped their weapons and attempted to leave garden to face the assault.

But they weren't able to.

 Another subterranean shift, followed by a sudden lurch, knocked everyone off their feet and flung them to the ground again. A stomach dropping sensation of movement kept them there.

"Ellone!" Lily gasped, crawling over to her, eyes wide. "Are you okay?"

Ellone, still on her hands and knees, nodded. "Yeah. My knees might be a little bruised but that's it. Are we.... _moving_?"

Lily nodded, "I think so..." she stood up cautiously and made her way to a window and looked out.

"Yes, we're _definitely_ moving." she reported.

" _How_?" Ellone asked. Lily's response was an eloquent shrug.

Then another cry went up, "We're going to crash into Balamb!" followed by a stampede to the windows, several indrawn gasps of air, and a couple of screams. At the last moment, there was another lurch and a very loud, strange sound that was very similar to a splash.

And just like that, suddenly, they were at sea.

So was Ellone. She had a hysterical urge to laugh at the expression that might appear on Captain Tarin's face when The Corsair arrived at Balamb to find the _entire garden_....gone.

 

* * *

 

 

 

The day wore on toward afternoon as Balamb Garden plowed aimlessly through the water. It was a sensation Ellone was intimately familiar with, having spent the bulk of her life at sea.

The SeeDs and cadets that had been milling about, had actually had purpose in what she'd thought was aimless wanderings. The damage and mess left behind by recent events was cleared away, to the point that there was virtually no sign that anything had ever happened.

They'd even cleaned up Sabin's blood.

In the end, Ellone was left as the library's sole occupant. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and let the silence soak into her and quiet her mind. The orientation of the garden as it sailed, allowed the sun to flood through the windows and bathe the library with its warmth and golden light. It was both beautiful and peaceful, a balm to her still aching heart and soul.

She heard him before she saw him. Oh, he walked softly enough on the plush carpeting, but in the perfect silence of the library, she easily heard his breath and the clink of the metal fittings on his belts. She had little doubt however, that he could move as silently as a cat if he needed to.

She wondered if he'd ever remember who she was. Her first sight of him, and he of her, had showed no recognition on his part. Would he remember now, now that he'd had a better look at her? There was really only one way to find out.

Opening her eyes, she gave him a gentle smile as he approached, saying, "Yes, Squall?"

Surprise and confusion flickered in his eyes, and he frowned slightly, asking, "Are you...Ellone?"

"Yes..." she nodded.

He took a step closer, studying her intensely. Ellone watched the thoughts darting behind his eyes, dredging up memories, making connections.

"You're Ellone? THE Ellone?" he pressed.

She nodded.

Licking his lips, he asked, "You know...Laguna, don't you?"

Ellone nodded, eyes stinging, and answered, "I do. I really love Uncle Laguna."

 It had taken her watching his relentless hunt to find and free her to remember exactly how _much_ she loved him.

Squall's eyes widened and he flung his hands out, exclaiming, "Then tell me! What is it that we experience!?"

Ellone sighed. How would she even begin to explain what it was she was doing when she wasn't _completely_ sure herself? She studied him for a moment, still seeing the echo of the child he'd been in his face, scar and hardened warrior's eyes notwithstanding.

"I'm sorry, Squall. It's hard to explain. But...one thing... It's about the past."

Squall stared at her, frowning as he tried to comprehend what she was saying.

"People say you can't change the past. But even still, if there's a possibility, it's worth a try, right?" Ellone bit her lip, wondering if she was only confusing him more. _Please understand me. I'm trying to ...FIX ...what went wrong. If I can..._

Finally, Squall demanded, "Are you the one responsible!? Are you the one taking us to that 'dream world'!?"

"I'm sorry." _Really, I am... Please forgive me for what I'm doing to you_... She pleaded mentally, knowing he couldn't hear her.

"Why me!?" He burst out in frustration. "I have enough problems as it is! Don't get me involved in this!"

"I'm sorry." Ellone said again.

Suddenly, Squall paled as the full import of what she was telling him finally sunk in, and he backed away, shaking his head, saying, "Don't... Don't count on me."

He stumbled blindly back, eyes wide, and nearly fell over a chair, catching himself at the last minute and collapsing into it. Closing his eyes, he dropped his face into his hands and speared his gloved fingers into his unruly mop of hair.

Watching him, Ellone felt tears stinging her eyes, and wanted nothing more than to cuddle his head against her like she did when they were little. She wanted to kiss him and tell him it'd be okay, she'd fix it... But she couldn't. This was something only _he_ could do, little as he might want the responsibility.

In that moment, a dark haired woman entered the library, and spotting them, headed over, asking, "Squall? Did you find Ellone?"

Clearing her throat, Ellone said, "Umm... I'm Ellone." 

The woman raised her eyebrows at this, then frowned slightly at Squall's attitude of apparent dejection, asking him, "Are you all right?"

Squall didn't respond, and Ellone approached him, touching his shoulder gently and bending down to whisper softly in his ear, "you're my only hope."  Squeezing it gently, she left the library with the woman following closely behind her.

"I'm Xu," she said. "Some White SeeDs have come aboard looking for you..."

"The Corsair. I knew they were coming. I'd wondered if they'd be able to catch us." Ellone said, doing her best to swallow down the guilt that was tying knots in her stomach at essentially abandoning Squall once again.

Xu shrugged, "Well, they're better sailors than _we_ are, obviously. Plus, we don't appear to be going all that fast." Then she frowned, asking, "What happened to your escorts? I haven't seen them anywhere..." her voice trailed off as she saw Ellone's eyes tear up again.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

Ellone nodded, unable to find her voice to respond. She couldn't say it was okay, because it very definitely was _not_. She'd lost both a lover and a good friend on the same day. No, it wasn't okay. _She_ wasn't okay.

It was with a profound sense of relief that she saw Captain Tarin and her first mate, Azari, waiting for her on the upper deck where they'd somehow moored The Corsair to the still-moving garden.  Cid was there too, along with an older woman in a white coat.

 Xu stopped next to Quistis, squeezing Ellone's hand and saying, "I'm sorry for your loss. I can see your escorts were also friends of yours."  Ellone met her eyes, and was suddenly aware that the pain and grief she was feeling was echoed in Xu's eyes. She had lost friends today as well.

Squeezing her hand back, Ellone said, "Thank you."

Turning away from Xu, she approached Cid and took his hands, saying, "It was nice to see you again...Cid."

He patted her hands and squeezed them gently, "I wish it had turned out better. I liked those young men."

Biting  her lip to hold back her tears, Ellone replied, "I did too. Good bye Cid."

"Good bye my dear. Hopefully we'll meet again."

Turning away from him and his companions, Ellone approached Captain Tarin, who immediately fell into step beside her, Azari taking up a position on Ellone's other side.  They didn't speak until they'd boarded The Corsair and cast off. 

At a glance from Captain Tarin, Azari began shouting orders, his deep voice echoing throughout the ship, spurring the SeeDs into action. The ship began to pick up speed as sails were raised and belled out with the wind.

Reaching out, the captain gripped Ellone's shoulder and gave it a squeeze, saying gently, "Sabin and Erron are below. If you'd like to say good-bye to them..."

Ellone closed her eyes, unable to speak as the captain continued, "The Balamb SeeDs...they _did_ try...but it was too late for life spells, phoenix downs....you know as well as I do the limitations of those things. They were both killed instantly. There was nothing that could be done."

Hot tears spilled from her closed eyes once more as she asked, with great difficulty, "When will we...?"

"We're bearing East. We'll bury them at sea when we are in open waters. We're making for Centra but we have to go the long way because of The Causeway." Captain Tarin answered her. "I am sorry, Ellone. I know you were close, particularly with Sabin..."

Ellone finally sobbed, "I loved him!"

Captain Tarin made a small, distressed sound and pulled Ellone into her arms, whispering, "I know. We all knew. We loved him too."

 

* * *

 

 

 

The Corsair sailed swiftly toward her destination. Good winds, a following sea, favorable currents and more than enough sun for the solar sails, sped her on. She would reach Captain Tarin's intended position within a day.

Ellone however, stood below deck where Erron and Sabin were lying in state. Many of their friends had already paid their respects, leaving behind small tokens in remembrance. These were placed on a small table at the head of each bier, beneath the single beeswax taper that sat in the center of each one.

Looking at them, Ellone's heart broke anew at how they'd been honored. Their bodies had been cleaned of course, and they were wearing their finest dress uniforms, resplendent in glowing white with gleaming gold trim. Sabin's gloved hands rested upon the hilt of his cutlass, which had been placed upon his chest. Erron was in a similar pose, hands upon his weapon as well. Almost, she could believe they were sleeping...save for their utter, rigid stillness, and the pale, waxy look to their faces.

She didn't speak. Their spirits had moved on, and what was left behind was beyond hearing.

Approaching Sabin's bier, she reached out a tentative hand and laid it upon his. Tears flooded her eyes at how it felt. Cold. Hard. _Dead_.

_It's not fair,_ she sobbed silently. _We finally, FINALLY, come together and acknowledge what we both feel for each other, and just hours later, he's dead. We should have had a lifetime together, rather than mere hours_.

She understood that what SeeDs did was dangerous, and that she lived because they'd sacrificed their lives for her. It was their _job_ to do so. That did not mean that she had to be happy about the necessity for it, nor the fact that they'd had to pay the ultimate price for her safety.

In fact, she hated it.

Later, she stood pale and composed on the aft deck as the Captain conducted the memorial for them, consigning them to the sea that they'd sailed upon for nearly the entirety of their lives.

She wondered, once again, if attempting to change the past would even work and if it _did_...would that mean she'd never meet Sabin? Never fall in love with him?

Did she want the memories of what they shared, all too briefly, and lost; or did she want to never meet him at all? Was changing the past worth losing those precious hours of perfect beauty that she found in Sabin's arms?

She didn't know. She also didn't know if what she was doing was having any effect at all. Perhaps it wouldn't change anything. Perhaps, all it was doing was indirectly introducing Squall to his father. And was that a bad thing? She didn't think so. Maybe, if Uncle Laguna was still alive, they would find each other....or she would _help_ them find each other.

Three days later, the Galbadian Navy found them.

Ellone was on deck, enjoying the fresh air and the diversion that a pod of porpoises were providing when the SeeD currently on watch called out, "Vessels! aft!"

She turned around and watched the young man adjust his binoculars again, frowning.

"Sails?" the bosun's mate asked.

"No." came the abstracted reply. "Military. Frigates, destroyers a carrier and two cutters."

"Colors?"

"I can't....shit. Galbadian."

The bosun's mate swore under his breath, then ordered, "Tell the captain."  The SeeD handed the mate his binoculars and went below deck. The mate took up the SeeDs post and watched the ships approach.

"Are they... after us?" Ellone asked him.

"Looks that way."

"But...how do they even know I'm here?" Ellone asked.

The man glanced back at her, then returned his attention to the approaching ships. "Your guess is as good as mine." he replied blandly.

Ellone bit her lip. Okay, maybe it was a stupid question, given that Edea... _Sorceress_ Edea....knew where she was. That was the main reason why they had kept moving around so much, never anchoring in one port for more than a day or two at most. A moving target was harder to catch.

It didn't help that The Corsair had gotten involved in a bit of a dust-up off the Galbadian coast near Deling City, while taking on a pair of Timber refugees. The story the two young men told about how they got aboard was conflicting and confusing, but still held her attention as it featured Squall's exploits.

She found their account fascinating, filling in the blank spots from what little she'd learned while connecting with him. Despite being a newly minted, rookie SeeD, he'd apparently acquitted himself well. This despite having ultimately failed in his efforts to achieve his client's objectives, in favor of the larger concern of Sorceress Edea's ascension, and the threat she now posed to _everyone_.

Running feet pulled her back to the here and now, as Captain Tarin and First Mate Azari joined the bosun's mate on the aft deck.

She took his proffered binoculars to confirm the SeeD's report, swore quietly under her breath, and turned to Azari, ordering, "Full speed ahead. Fire up the engines, sails aren't going to be enough. We can't stand against that armament. We have to run."

"Aye Captain." Azari said. Jumping off the aft deck, he bellowed, "Reef the sails! Fire up the engines at full speed! Let's show these bastards our heels!"

"We're running sir?" a sailor asked.

"Aye we are! We've got half the Galbadian Navy on our tail! You wanna go up against that with the arms we have aboard?"

The sailor didn't bother to reply, he was too busy swarming aloft to help furl and secure the sails.

The Corsair momentarily slowed as the sails were taken down and the engines were started. Only lightly used, they were reluctant to catch and coughed, belching smoke before finally roaring to life. Gradually, the ship picked up speed and the sea wolves at their stern began to recede.

The ship was light and built for speed, with a shallow draft and sleek hull, and she easily outdistanced the heavier warships. They remained on alert as the ship sailed alone on the open sea, still headed East. They ran at full speed for several days, pushing the engines beyond their limits, with predictable results. They were within sight of the Estharian coastline when the engines coughed and failed. 

Ellone woke out of a sound sleep at the sudden silence after hearing the chugging drone of the racing engines for the last four days. Curious, she left her berth to see what was going on. Her bunkmates were still asleep, so she had to step carefully as she made her way topside in the predawn darkness.

As she reached the deck, she saw the captain in tense conversation with the engineer and the day's current watch. Azari stood impassively beside her, silent as a mahogany statue, arms folded across his broad chest.

"...do what you can with it," she said, dismissing the engineer, who went below to try and fix the engines.

Turning toward the SeeD who'd been on watch, she said, "Go find your relief, Venn."

"Aye, Captain. All clear so far." the young man said, saluting before heading below.

As the SeeD left, the Captain glanced at Azari, who immediately sprang into action, bellowing, "Engines are down, raise all sails!"

A sudden boiling of activity followed that order and the becalmed ship picked up speed as both the wind-sails and solar sails bellied out.

Another SeeD came up on deck and took up her position on the aft deck, binoculars in hand, scanning the ocean for any sign that the Galbadians had continued their pursuit. 

Yawning, Ellone went back below to resume her interrupted rest.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

That break in her sleep had left her mind more active that it would have ordinarily have been. She hadn't connected with Squall for several days; Sabin and Erron's loss had left her wondering if trying to change the past was even worth the attempt. But he had been on her mind, and so as she sank deeper into slumber, her sleeping mind reached out to him...and to Laguna.

This time, Laguna was...filming a movie?

She was conscious of Squall's presence as well, and found both Laguna's situation and Squall's reactions to it to be highly amusing. In the peculiar inertia of deep sleep however, she wasn't completely sure that she was in fact connecting all of them, because everything had a far more surreal quality than these "dream walks" normally had.

That was the only explanation she could think of for the fact that a real ruby dragon showed up on a movie set when it should have been Kiros and Ward in costume. Squall of course lent his strength as Laguna battled the creature with nothing but an ancient gunblade, but eventually he and his comrades had to choose the better part of valor and flee.

_I can't disconnect.._ she thought, upon realizing that she was unable to pull out of the link.

_What is this connect thing...?_ Squall's mental "voice" said, and Ellone realized then that she _had_ in fact connected both him and Laguna in her sleep. Something she hadn't done in a very long time...at least not since she'd learned how to control her power.

_Is it you Squall?_ she asked, just to be sure.

_Yeah.._ He responded. 

_'Connect' is just what I call it. It's when I use my special power._ She explained. _Oh, I know... I must be asleep. That's why I can't control it. I'm sorry, Squall. Just let me use your spirit for a little while longer._

_Let me go back..._ Squall thought.

Ellone could sense his discomfort, and had to suppress her own frustration at being unable to do so. Caught between dreams and reality, she was as powerless as he was as the images shifted once again...

...to Laguna, speaking with Matron at the old orphanage. Ellone felt Squall's start of surprise and a surge of decidedly mixed emotions too complex for her to identify.

Laguna: "She ain't here, either..."

Edea: "If I may ask, what happened to this Ellone?"

Laguna: "She was kidnapped by Esthar soldiers. I've been travelling, tryin' all I can to get inside Esthar but..."

Edea: "They were looking for a successor to the Esthar sorceress, Adel?"

Laguna: "Yeah, yeah! Exactly it!"

Edea: "Is she your daughter?"

Laguna: "No...but she's just so cute! Oh, I wish I could hear her voice!"

_I want to hear Rinoa's voice_.. Came Squall's wistful thought, making Ellone's heart ache for him.

 His interest in the girl, the same one who'd dragged him onto the dance floor at his SeeD graduation ball, had, by gradual degrees, deepened into something that he scarcely had a name for...but was nonetheless very powerful. Ellone could tell by the emotions attached to the girl's name, that Squall had fallen in love with her.

Laguna, disturbed by Squall's stray thought, shook his head in irritation.

Edea: "Is something the matter?"

Laguna: "No...just the faeries..."

The scene faded to black, and suddenly, Squall's attenion was entirely on _her_.

_I don't care if it's in the past or what. I want to hear Rinoa. I want to see Rinoa._ _That way, there might be a chance to save her._ He sent, silently urging her to do the same thing with him and Rinoa as she'd been doing with him and Laguna.

But she couldn't. All the memories that she'd seen and sent Squall into, all attempts that she'd made to change the past, all had come to naught...and now... Now she didn't want to change _anything_. Not if it erased her all too brief memories of Sabin. It might have spared her pain, but in an odd way, she felt it a betrayal of what they'd shared and what he'd sacrificed for her.

A sudden lurch by The Corsair threatened to wake her, weakening her connection with Squall. The seas must be getting rough.

Finally, she explained, _You can't change the past. I just found that out. When I was kidnapped, Uncle Laguna went on a journey to find me... But because he did, Uncle Laguna wasn't able to be by Raine's side when she died.  Raine wanted to show Laguna her new born baby... Raine kept calling out for Laguna. So no matter what, I wanted Laguna to stay in the village... But it didn't work. I can no longer make it back to that moment... And also... I can only send you inside someone I've met before. I'm sorry, Squall. I'm about to disconnect. I'll try again to speak to you this way._

Another lurch, a stronger one, brought her closer to wakefulness, but she stayed connected just long enough to hear Squall call out mentally, _Sis! Ellone! I'm..._ she opened her eyes to a boat bobbing roughly on wind-driven, heaving seas. Uncomfortable at the thought of being below decks in a gale, Ellone started to get out of bed.

A sharp crack and shattering crash on the deck above sent Ellone and the rest of her bunkmates bolting from their berths in a blind panic. Upon reaching the deck, the source of the noise was obvious:  The Corsair, still running under full sail to try and make good its escape to the broken shores and treacherous shoals of Centra, had run afoul of a sudden, violent storm, the power of which had snapped the mast before the sails could be reefed. It lay athwart the deck in a tangle of lines, spars and sheets. The Corsair was dead in the water, leagues from any shore that had forests with trees large and sturdy enough to replace the mast. The engines were blown, and the mechanics were still working feverishly to revive them, but had not yet succeeded in doing so. In short, she was a sitting duck.

All hands were put to work straightening out the mess on the deck, a task complicated by the rolling seas and gusting winds; with Azari and the Quartermaster in deep and urgent discussion regarding whether or not the broken mast could be braced back together and still be servicable. Seeing the way it had split lengthwise as well as snapping off at the deck, Ellone did not see how that was possible. In the end, the mast had had to be pushed overboard, while the spars, the lines, and the mainsail were salvaged. The fragile solar sails were lost.

It was well past noon before The Corsair was anywhere near shipshape, and the storm had blown itself out. Ellone's stomach reminded her loudly that she had eaten neither breakfast nor lunch. Fortunately, the mess was still serving, so she went below to eat and try to relax a bit.

As she did, her thoughts turned toward the latest memory that she'd experienced with Squall. Laguna had undoubtedly gone to Esthar, else she wouldn't have been returned to Winhill, and then ended up at Edea's orphanage in Centra with Squall. But now she wondered if in fact, he was still alive. And if he _was_ , if he'd ever left Esthar. She'd wondered and worried about that nearly her entire life and had been too afraid to attempt to ...connect with him... To find out.

_This_ time however, she wasn't going to let fear stop her. 

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath to master her emotions and ground herself. When she was calm and felt ready, she sent a questing thought out for Laguna's mind. Not the Laguna of seventeen years ago but the Laguna of _now_. Her heart nearly stopped when she found him.

" What's my schedule look like for the rest of this week?"  He asked, directing the question to a tall, slender man in flowing robes. It took Ellone several minutes to recognize Kiros Seagill, one of Laguna's closest friends.

Kiros, rolled his eyes at this and answered, "Laguna, I am your Prime Minister, not your secretary. Why don't you ask _her_?"

"Why are you holding the clipboard then?" Laguna asked.

"Because it has on it an Appropriations Bill to continue maintaining the Sorceress Memorial and the Lunar Base. Sign here?" Kiros said, pointing to the bottom of the sheaf of papers on the clipbard.

"Oh. Sure thing." Laguna said, signing the document.  Sighing, he walked toward the large picture window and looked out at the glittering desert city of Esthar.

_He was still there!_

"How am I still here, Kiros?" he asked his friend softly. Ellone gasped softly as he echoed her thought and tried to clamp down on what she was thinking and feeling. No easy task, that, not with what she was observing while connected with his mind.

"Because we all still need you." Kiros answered.

Laguna snorted, not turning around. "You're more presidential than I am. I'm just here for the comic relief."

"No denying that." Kiros replied with a smirk. "But believe it or not, you actually _do_ get shit done. Now, I have some intelligence reports coming out of Galbadia that you really need to see..."

Ellone withdrew from her connection and sat, staring into space, the remains of her meal ignored while she worked out the facts that she'd observed: He _was_ in fact, still alive. Had somehow become President of Esthar, with Kiros as his Prime Minister? And finally, heartbreakingly, Ellone could not miss the fact that he was unutterably _lonely_. The depth of that loneliness called out to her. But how would she ever get to Esthar? To him?

"All hands!" Azari's deep voice boomed out. "All hands! To the deck!"

Gasping, Ellone raced to her berth and retrieved the gun that Sabin had given her, making sure it was loaded and that she had extra ammunition. Then she raced topside to take her place beside the SeeDs who were already standing ready to defend their ship from attack.

The Galbadian frigates had found them. The smaller ships in the fleet had apparently been outdistanced or had turned back due to the storm. The larger, heavier ships however had weathered it just fine and were currently just minutes from advancing to firing range of them. In their becalmed state, they had no choice but to fight, despite how outmatched they were. Surrendering Ellone to them was not an option. 

"Ellone! Get out of sight below!" Azari ordered, upon seeing her armed and on deck.

"But..."

"Do it!"  he barked. Striding to the hatch leading below, he called down, "Myko! Do we have engines yet?"

"Negative sir!"

She frowned and was about to try again, tired of always having to run and hide like a little mouse while everyone else fought and died for her. She worked with the crew on the ship, but when it came to the fighting, she was treated like a baby.

Before she could however, a boom sounded from their stern. Seconds later, there was a splash just a few feet off their bow.

"SHIT!!" Ellone exclaimed as she was hit by the spray from the projectile's splashdown.

"Captain!" Azari called out. "They're warning shots! They'll be on us in just a few minutes!"

"They intend to board us! Be ready!" The captain ordered.

Ellone, and the SeeDs surrounding her, gripped their weapons and waited. Minutes ticked by as the ships at their stern drew closer.  Close enough that they could clearly see the deck guns aimed at them. Ellone swallowed as her tension ratcheted up with each meter that the frigates gained on them.

Then another boom sounded, followed by an explosion on the deck of one of the frigates. Ellone, along with everyone else on the deck, watched aghast as another ship joined the fray, firing two more salvos at the Galbadian vessel.

The ship's design, sleek, fast and far more maneuverable than the heavier frigate, did more to identify its origin than the flag it flew. It was an Estharian destroyer; not as large perhaps as the frigate but bristling with armament. Two more followed in its wake, guns blazing. 

The Galbadian ships fired back, and the battle was joined in earnest. And they were right smack in the middle of it with no means of getting out of the way. They were in real danger of becoming collateral damage as the ships continued to bombard each other.

Suddenly another Estharian ship, a sleek cutter, pulled alongside on the opposite side of The Corsair from where the battle was taking place.

From the deck, an amplified, harshly accented voice called out, "Unknown vessel! Do you require assistance?"

Azari and the captain exchanged a glance, and the captain answered, "Yes!"

"Permission to board to asses your situation, Captain!"

Swallowing, the captain took a breath, and answered, "Granted!"

Moments later, three Estharian sailors thumped onto the deck and approached the captain and first mate.

"Are you the captain?" one of them asked.

"Yes, I'm Captain Tarin, and this is my first mate, Azari Nunua." She said, continuing briskly, "Our engines are blown and we lost the mast during the storm. We're dead in the water. We have mechanics working on the engines but so far they haven't managed to get them functional yet. We could use a tow to the nearest port..."

The young man in charge of the boarding party opened  his mouth to respond when a shell struck the water so close to The Corsair, that for a moment Ellone thought they'd actually been hit. In the few moments that the Estharian sailors had been aboard, the battle had gotten even more intense, and the cutter was now in jeopardy as well.

"Captain, I strongly suggest you and your passengers evacuate to our cutter. We'll send a tug out to tow your ship to port when it's safer." the sailor glanced around and frowned at seeing young children as well as SeeDs aboard. More shells hit close by, as if to punctuate his statement, and he added, "Now, ma'am, if you would..."

"Ensign! Bring those passengers aboard or leave them!" A shout from the cutter interrupted. "We've been ordered to leave, _now_!"

The Ensign in question looked at Captain Tarin helplessly and said, "Ma'am, I..."

"Captain! We have engines!" came a shout from below.

The relief on Captain Tarin's face was palpable as she said, "Thank you for your offer Ensign. I think you'd better go."

"Aye, ma'am!" He saluted and sprinted back to his boat, companions following.

In the seconds it took for them to board their cutter and cast off their lines, Ellone's decision was made.

"WAIT!!" she screamed, running after them. "WAIT FOR ME!"

The hulls of the two ships were separating, but the cutter's progress halted momentarily as she reached the railing of The Corsair, and launched herself over the widening gap between the two,  barely clearing the space and landing unsteadily aboard the other ship. She gasped in terror as she felt herself falling backward, unable to recover from her awkward, off-balance landing. A hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, hauling her fully aboard.

"Hi," she said breathlessly, heart still pounding. "I'm Ellone...Loire. Can you take me to your president?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> So, here's my submission to this year's Successor Challenge.. hopefully it meets the criteria. No, it isn't finished, I've outlined it (yes, REALLY!) to come in four parts, or chapters, and it is MOSTLY going to be from Ellone's POV. Her view of the events that lead up to Time Compression and the part she played in it.  Despite life doing it's best to kick my ass on a daily basis, I DID manage to get THIS part done. I'll be working hard as I can on the rest of it. Hope you all enjoy!


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